What does it mean to “glorify God?”Seeing poverty up close for the first time hit me like a bus. I had spent a good amount of time in church, but had never really had the chance to experience poor people firsthand and help them. As a teenager from the suburbs, I had never seen bars on windows of houses or supermarkets until I went on mission trips to a very poor city in New Jersey for two summers.
There we were immersed in a world of poverty, a world I had never experienced before. There were syringes everywhere, gangs and prostitutes; I even heard gunshots nearby.
The signs of poverty and fear of danger taught me that sometimes service can be uncomfortable. It was sometimes a struggle to be kind to everyone. But the thing that makes it such a memorable place is the faith of the people who live there. As I worked, I just remembered the people’s smiling faces and I could continue with a smile in my heart.
An experience that particularly struck me was when an elderly man, named Ivan, said, “God bless you.” The fact that he would bless me, after knowing me for such a short time, left me speechless.
The Bible says, “Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Mt 5:16). Being a missionary I was able to glorify God, help others, and help better myself. Because I went to New Jersey, I am a better Catholic, and, more importantly, a better person.
—Liam
What does it mean to “glorify God?”
Read Matthew 25:31–40. Ask Jesus: “How can I feed, welcome, and serve you in my daily life?” Thank Jesus for the chance to serve him every day through other people.