Daily Devotion

“The suffering I endure here (in the palace) is heavier than that I would endure in the wilderness. For in the wilderness I can call out the name of the Lord with a loud voice; but here I must live out the name of the Lord in every stroke of my pen, in endless silence and in the midst of mundane affairs.”

Giuseppe Castiglione · Letters from Jesuit Missionaries to China

Scripture

Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.

Reflection

Giuseppe Castiglione's struggle reveals a kind of "missionary work in silence." We often admire those ministries that are loud and boisterous, yet easily underestimate the perseverance in mundane tasks. Castiglione tells us: profession is altar, lines are prayer. In the midst of mundane tasks, legal documents, or code development, if we can pursue ultimate excellence while maintaining Christian character, this in itself is the most powerful testimony. Reflecting on how we waste time in foundation registration or daily work: are we willing to see these "non-spiritual" trivialities as sacred workshops for refining our lives and living out the Lord's name?