When Joseph was appointed superior of the Divine Word Missionaries in China, among his many duties was the task of caring for the physical and spiritual wellbeing of the missionaries. During a retreat he said to them: “Our life is too short and our time too precious to be squandered in a useless way.” The missionaries who listened to him knew that their superior was only expressing in words his own radical commitment. This was what everyone admired about him in his own life as a missionary. At the end of the retreat he returned to the same point: “A good religious is by nature a good missionary and vice versa. The relationship between these two vocations is the same as that between the grain and ear of wheat, or between heroism and victory.” Let us ask God that through the intercession of St. Joseph we be a hospitable community.

Reading from the Gospel according to John 17:20-23

Reflecting on the text, we recall some of St. Joseph’s thoughts:

• He wrote to St. Arnold: “In general the mood of the missionaries is very good. We are delighted that all have been admitted to final vows. Given the way things are at present I think that this has been the best decision.”
• Regarding the missionaries’ stay at the retreat house he commented: “After a year spent out in the world, it is the community life joyfully lived in the observance of the rule, spiritual reading, study and meditation that renews the missionary.”