What Task Has Jesus Given To Us?

Acts. 28:16-20 & 30-31 Jn. 21:20-25

Jesus has a task for each one of His disciples. He knows our strengths and weaknesses, and allocates the tasks accordingly.

Paul, for example, had the gift of eloquent preaching and he was sent to Rome to spread the Gospel. He was to spend some time in prison but had the ability to put that experience to good use, writing letters of encouragement to his friends in other cities. In those letters so much of the basis of our Christian faith is to be found. He was allowed to receive visitors and he seized the opportunity to talk to them about his faith.

Peter, too, was to go to Rome. We know that he was a hasty and impulsive man but he also had qualities of courage and leadership. Jesus saw his strength and chose Peter to be the foundation stone of His Church.

John was given a different vocation. He was always known as "the disciple Jesus loved" and perhaps this was why he was entrusted with the care of Jesus' beloved Mother. He lived to a great age, always witnessing to the truth of Christ's life, death and resurrection. His Gospel is written in his own distinctive style, full of his conviction of God's love for the world.

Each of these disciples was given a task which only he could perform. In the same way, Jesus says to each of us, "You are to follow Me." He knows what we are capable of doing, what talents we have been given and what we are able to endure, and so He gives us the job which only we can do. For some of us, that may mean a vocation to the priesthood or religious life; for others, the task may be to love and cherish the marriage partner God has given us, and the children He may place in our care; for those of us who are single, it may be a life of service to others through our profession or voluntary work.

As we go through life God often gives us new and different tasks. It is true that "each man in his time plays many parts” but whatever part we are asked to play, we can be sure that no-one else could tackle it in quite the same way, because Jesus has hand-picked us for the role.

This thought should give each one of us an awareness of our own value, and also our own responsibilities. We should not be asking as Peter did, "What about him, Lord?" It is not for us to question what tasks have been given to others; we must simply get on with our own. When Jesus says, "You are to follow Me," we must keep our eyes on Him, rather than casting a critical glance at what our neighbour is doing.

Lord Jesus, help us to see what You want us to do on Your behalf today, knowing that You will give us the support we need to complete our task.