"Come... I shall send you."

THE VENTURE
by Anthony de Mello


I imagine I am present
when Jesus first meet Peter
and pronounces him a Rock (John 1:40-42).

I am standing by the lakeside
when he inspires Peter, Andrew, James, and John
to come catch human beings (Matt. 4:18-22).

I walk into the tax house
to hear him summon Matthew
and I witness the effect (Matt. 9:9).

I am present
when the angels tells her destiny to Mary (Luke 1:26-38)

I see the risen Lord send Mary on a mission (John 20:11-18)

When the Voice calls out to Paul
on his journey to Damascus
I am traveling with him (Acts 9:3-6)


I see these scenes as taking place,
not in the past,
but now.
I do not merely watch,
I interact...
participate.


I write the story of my own call
for my copy of the Bible.
Like every scripture text,
each word, each phrase is charged with meaning.


I visit Peter in his cell before his execution.
He looks back on the day when Jesus called him,
on the things he saw, and learned,
and felt
-the kind of work, the kind of life he would have had
if Jesus had not met him
-the contrast in today's realities
and yesterday's illusions.


I look back too
on the day when Jesus called me,
just as Peter does.

Then Peter shares his feelings
at the thought that he must die tomorrow.


The call is still alive.
Each day it takes me to I know what
till after the event.
What was I called to yesterday?


The voice that spoke to Peter at the lakeside
and to Mary at the tomb
-I hear it say to me right now,
"Come . . . I shall send you."


I seem to hear those words
resounding in my heart repeatedly.

I know not what it calls me to,
but I recognize the voice
and give it my response.




taken from "Wellsprings"