Beyond the Clouds by Fr. Jacob Nampudakam, S.A.C. | Page 56

hearts of people and eternity.
In the work of administration, like in the case of pilots, it’s important to keep
the crew and its members at cruising altitude. 30,000 feet, in our situation, is
the vision- or the prophetic ideal- that we challenge all members to seek. Such
an ideal is absolutely essential for motivating the members, and making them
strive constantly to achieve it. This is the beauty of teamwork and being
accompanied by others; there is passion, persistence, and perseverance,
because the mission encompasses more than just oneself.
As far as Christians are concerned, there are no nobler values than those
presented in the Gospels. The values regarding the love of God, the neighbor,
the Cross, and sacrifices are the guiding stars that enlighten our path towards
a meaningful life. As Pope Francis says, “the Beatitudes are like a Christian’s
identity card. So if anyone asks: ‘what must one do to be a good Christian?’
The answer is clear. We have to do, each in our own way, what Jesus told us in
the Sermon on the Mount. In the Beatitudes, we find a portrait of our Master,
which we are called to reflect in our daily lives.” If we realize them, we will be
the blessed ones; for they are the surest way to the holiness of life.
As these values find their fullness in Jesus- fully God, and fully man- it is
another declaration of every Christian’s vocation: to be transformed into
Christ. He is the sublime model of divine perfection. This is why St. Paul
prayed, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Pallotti, also understanding
that there was no greater height, prayed the same: “Lord, destroy my life, and
let your life be my life.” A genuine, mystical prayer.
When the idea of a website focusing on the missions and peripheries came to
my mind, it struck me that the greatest mission is to “be holy” as our
Heavenly Father is holy. Thus, Christian mission is not only to be seen as a
matter of leaving for distant lands, learning new languages, and constructing
buildings of our own. Perhaps these things may be necessary and inevitable,
but the primary mission is to be holy.
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