In period 2003 – 2005 I was Spiritual Director in a very good Catholic Secondary School in Szczecin. One of my duties was recruiting new candidates to our school. You know… you have papers all candidates, you have to meet them face to face, you have to speak with them and make a right decision – is this child good enough for our school or not? Trust me it was very responsible and difficult job.
It was stupid – I know that today – but my method was simple: when I got a new child for interview, I liked to disarm him/her. You know, at the beginning our chat was about everything and nothing… We were laughing at some jokes, chatted about hobby, football, family, whatever, until s/he was all relaxed. Then, when I thought I’ve got him/her relaxed, I leaned over, look him/her square in the eye and said: What’s your purpose in life? Today I know that it was very stupid and cruel. How someone, who is 12 years of age would managed such deep and difficult question?! But… you can believe or not…, I was interviewing some girl the other day, had her all disarmed, exactly the same way – jokes, ect., then I leaned up and asked her: What’s your purpose in life, Kasia? And she said to me, without blinking an eye: To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can. For the first time in my meeting I was speechless!
When Jesus said – no servant is greater than his master, no messenger is greater than the man who sent him – He was 100% right, there is not doubt. But there is no doubt also, that this little girl from my interview was at least equal to her Master.
Let us try to be at least like our Master, Jesus. Can we manage that purpose? Good luck!
Tomasz MAMELKA - Timperley 