We started 2020 with a mission in Chascomus, Argentina.
There were fourteen of us altogether – seven consecrated missionaries and seven young people.
The crucifix in the house where we were staying was missing an arm and a leg – an image of a broken Christ. After a few days of mission, the little cross that I was wearing also broke and the crucifix was left without any limbs. These two images helped me discover Jesus´ situation in this mission.
This broken Christ has no other body than mine to express his love for others! Whether it be playing with children, running workshops for teenagers or patiently listening to people’s life stories, I understood that the mission means being the arms, feet, ears and mouth of Jesus. Jesus wants to meet others. He wants to hug, listen, comfort and encourage them – and he needed me to embody this love of his, making me a sister and a mother of the people He entrusts to me.
This Christ is broken because he suffers in my brothers and sisters! I felt a lot of joy and energy in the children and young people, but they also shared their complicated and painful life situations: the absence of one of their parents, drug problems in the family, lack of money at home, violence… Contemplating the broken Christ made me understand that He shares these painful situations and when one of them gets hurt, Christ himself is hurt and suffers with them, because he has identified himself with each one of us out of love. It brought me deep peace when I discovered Jesus silently present in every type of suffering, capable of opening new paths to life
The joy that I experienced in this mission is a confirmation and a boost for me in my dedication to the announcement of the love of Christ – this love of the broken Christ that teaches us to build a deeply compassionate church and world.
Annette Wiesmann
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