Witnessing the Gospel That Is Proclaimed

Reflections after a Summer Ministry at Kênh Nước Lên Parish, Cà Mau

One of the responsibilities entrusted to me during this summer break was to guide the children in exploring part of the Gospel of Mark, including Chapter 16. Before each session, I would take time to read, meditate, and pray—not just to prepare intellectually, but also spiritually. And at one point, these words from Scripture stood out as both a challenge and a call:

“Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15)

This became a dual demand for me: first, it is Good News—a message of joy and salvation; and second, it is Good News “for all creation”, beyond any familiar or comfortable boundary I had previously known.

The summer ministry at Kênh Nước Lên Parish followed a tight schedule: starting with morning Mass at 5:15 AM, followed by a full day of lessons, activities, prayer, and games lasting until 9:30 PM. Within such a packed routine, there was little room for personal rest. Everyone had to seize brief moments to find their own “sacred space” for mental and spiritual renewal. Working with the children—each with their own personality—was itself a challenge. Some were obedient and eager to learn, while others were hyperactive, easily distracted, or discouraged by the intensity of the program. This required me to cultivate patience, adaptability, and creativity to support and encourage them.

There were days when the workload drained me so much that I felt emotionally depleted. Fatigue took over both body and spirit. In moments like those, I began to wonder: Was I still capable of responding to the call to “proclaim the Gospel”? In a space filled with constant activity, where could I say the Gospel was truly being proclaimed?

It was in those very moments of weakness and doubt that I realized something deeply personal: before I can become a herald of the Gospel, I must first allow myself to receive it. And then I began to notice—the Good News was quietly coming to me: in the bright smiles of the children playing joyfully, in the proud and loving gaze of parents watching their kids from a distance, in the silent sweat of the religious brothers and sisters laboring in the heat, and in the loud cheers of the children during Bible quiz games. Each of those small moments became a living proclamation, a living witness of the Gospel.

Amid the busyness, I discovered quiet inner spaces where my soul could slow down and absorb these “Gospel images”—genuine lessons in faith, in giving, in journeying together, and in shared humanity.

This realization also made me rethink the way I responded to the missionary call. It was easy to assume that I was bringing the Gospel to places where it had not yet been. But upon deeper reflection, I saw how flawed that thinking was. The Gospel is not something I possess fully or deliver like a “hero.” In truth, God is already present in each person, in every community, long before I ever arrive. I am simply a companion—called to help discover, awaken, and nurture the seeds of the Gospel that are already quietly alive in the hearts of others.

From this perspective, I also came to see that if a smile, a glance, or a loving gesture could brighten my day, then I too am called to be an instrument of joy, light, and hope for others. In this light, the children I once labeled as “disruptive” or “uninterested” became precious souls in need of encouragement, guidance, and love.

This shift in thinking renewed my strength, helping me carry out my responsibilities with a more open heart. And this became the key to embracing the second part of the Gospel challenge: to proclaim the Good News to all creation. I came to see that every place and every moment holds the potential for sacred encounter, if I allow God to permeate it. He is present in every detail of ordinary life—whether in laughter, rustling leaves, or silent sweat—transforming them into His dwelling place.

This summer ministry at Kênh Nước Lên Parish helped me understand more deeply the identity of one who is sent—not simply to “complete a task,” but to become a witness of the Gospel, even in the most hidden and humble of places. I returned with a renewed heart, carrying a new lesson: wherever I am, and whenever it may be, I can become a “living Gospel” if I first allow the Gospel to touch and illuminate me.

July 2025
Dominic Lê Thanh Phong

After the ministry at Kênh Nước Lên Parish, Dominic Lê Thanh Phong entered the Novitiate of the Commissariat of St. Joseph for the 2025–2026 Novitiate year.
Please pray for Dominic, for the six novices of this year, and for vocations in the Carmelite Order.