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It's back to school, let's get out.

In the northern hemisphere, September is the month when schoolchildren return to school. It's back to school. In France, this word "back-to-school" is used to designate all activities that resume after the holiday period: professional return, academic year, parliamentary, judicial etc.

If the words "back to school" corresponds to this time of year, their opposite, the word "exit" would be fine, too. Because the activities that start again, invite you to leave home, to meet colleagues, customers, suppliers.

In the Gospel of St. Matthew (chap 13, v. 3), a sower also goes out to sow. In the Gospel of St. Mark (chap 1, v. 38), Jesus says: "To proclaim the Gospel, that is why I went out." Like him, the baptized are invited to go out, not only to meet schoolmates or co-workers, but also to sow and witness to the gospel. From the moment of the beginning of the school year, we are sent by the Lord Himself.

It is worth asking myself to whom, to what the Lord is sending me today. Some are sent to service activities: service of relatives, family members; service to the poor in an association. Let us not forget this very important activity of visiting people who are isolated or sick or disabled. Others are sent to apostolic activities: service to the Christian community, animation of prayer times or Eucharistic celebrations in retirement homes, catechesis with younger people, prayer groups.

The Lord sends me; he invites me to come out of myself. Maybe I can't go very far; maybe I can't leave the house where I am or the room, because of my age, my infirmities, my illness. In this case too, the Lord sends me: He asks me to take an interest in what is happening around me in the world, to be interested in the people who come to visit me and those to whom I can call. He also sends me to participate in the permanent prayer of his Church: the liturgical prayer, the rosary, my simplest and most spontaneous personal prayer, which are the breathing of the body of Christ.

Whatever my age and situation, the Lord sends me. At his call, let's go out. And to all, good road.

Father François Maupu

Clergy Assistant of LAI