When it comes to making sense of my life as a Franciscan in this secular age, I turn to Chapter XVI of the Early Rule. It is where Francis speaks to those of his brothers who plan to go and live among non-Christians. Many went to North Africa, into what had become Muslim lands, hoping that their preaching would win them back for Christendom. We think that, due to St. Francis’s own experiences there, the brothers living there were given permission, and maybe even advice, to do so while keeping a low profile. They were not to upset the authorities. They were to live peacefully and be a quiet witness to the power of the Christian message. I continue to find inspiration in this text as I reflect on my own place in modern society.

Last week, I accompanied a group of women from a secular institute on their annual retreat, and the theme of my preaching was Pope Francis’s encyclical Dilexit nos. It was to be his last, and it is less well known than the others, such as Laudato si’ or Fratelli tutti. It is about God’s love for all humanity and emphasizes the embodiment of this love.

In other words, God is not just a power up high who, if it pleases him, removes our problems from our lives, but God is with us in our humanity and in our ordinary human challenges. Philosophically and theologically, this makes far more sense. Clearly, human life cannot be without challenges. Our bodies make sure of it, and so does everything else in nature. But our task is to find meaning in these challenges and make sense of how we deal with them. They are meant to draw us closer together. Living lovingly does not mean living without problems; it means growing in love by understanding what these problems ask of us.

Being a missionary of this God is therefore always much more than being an expert in theology or liturgical practices. Important as both are, they are means to an end, and the end is to give people peace. It is not the peace of unshakable material security. This is simply not part of the meaning of our lives. But it is the peace of knowing that our lives and their experiences are never meaningless.

There is really no way we can convince anyone in despair about the apparent futility of struggling against life’s seemingly endless problems by argument. But a well-lived life? A life carried by a profound conviction that it is meaningful, especially when difficult? This can make quite a difference in the lives of those who see it. Being a Christian missionary means giving one such example.