HERE I AM LORD, SEND ME.

There is a time for everything, according to King Solomon.

Some experiences in life will never be forgotten because their impact was so profound it left an enduring mark upon you. These experiences maybe great or unconscionable suffering while others caused a deep joy and still others divine, spiritual experiences, where the Spirit of God moved in your life.

One day, Jesus interacted with Nicodemus, a teacher of the Law, a religious man who knew the Laws of God explicitly. Jesus spoke to him in the Spirit, however Nicodemus could not understand Him. At some point, Jesus said, “You are Israel’s teacher, and you don’t understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things, and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into Heaven except the one who came from Heaven—the Son of Man.” (John 3:10-13).

40 years ago, I had the most shocking experience of my life. I could write several books on every detail of this experience, but before I do, I will briefly describe what led up to that.

My first experience of God, at age 7, was my first communion. When I received the Body of Christ, I experienced a profound Peace and Joy that I had never experienced before. I am the son of a single mother, living in great poverty since my birth in Tijuana; my home was made of cardboard with no running water, my toilet was communal. My heart undoubtedly was craving a moment of happiness and there it was, my first experience of something that was unseen but exists, happiness that transcended my circumstances; that was my first call from God. I was eternally marked from then on even though I did not fully understand what had happened until years later.

My mother prayed her rosary daily for me. At some point, I felt the need to understand why I was a Catholic, and so I decided to accept a priestly invitation to attend a bible study. There, I began to learn the History of Salvation, where we came from, and where we are going as Catholics. After a few years, I began to feel that true wholesomeness was found in God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ; and such understanding gave me something meaningful to live for. I learned that wholesomeness is in knowing Jesus Christ who said “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life…then you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free. (John 8:32). I began to feel a very strong call from Jesus that I could not resist anymore, so I asked Him, “Lord, what do you want from me?” His answer was to put a man on my path midday, who later confided to me that he was planning on taking his life the very day that we first talked, as soon as he came home from work.

In that moment, God was saying to me “what are you going to do if, like him, there are millions of people for whom their lives no longer have meaning? And, if your life has meaning, why don’t you do something? What had I done? That day I told this man, who was an alcoholic, about God’s Love. He asked me, “show me who God is? Later on that same day I took the man to a local parish where others prayed for him and at the end of prayer he wept a lot and asked me, “where will you take me tomorrow?” That was enough to make me realize my calling was absolutely clear, servant leadership. So, at the time of consecration in that weekend’s mass, I told Jesus, “here I am, I give You my life and tell me where to start!” I consecrated my life to Jesus; then I felt in the depths of my heart His Loving voice telling me, “go and speak to your Catholic brothers and sisters, for millions around the world are just like you when you used to call yourself a Catholic but did not know Me. Share your testimony”; that was March 31st. A few days later, on April 3, I attended a prayer meeting where I began to proclaim the Word of God; the ESNE apostolate, El Sembrador Nueva Evangelización, started that day!

I thank God for allowing us to celebrate 40 years of serving Jesus and His Church this month and for allowing us to witness millions and millions of men and women converted to the Lord. Today, I want to be like the one, out of the ten, lepers who returned to thank Jesus for being healed and saved. I also want to thank the Lord for having called us to serve Him like so many of my brothers in Christ who by saying yes, have made it possible for us to reach millions of souls through our different means of mass communication and Live events.

Thanks to Blessed Mother Mary for her company and protection and to all the pastors of the Church, priests, bishops, cardinals, and Pope Francis, who have supported us during these 40 years. There is a time for everything…and you, you too, are called to be a witness of God’s Love and Mercy in this world to the lives that live in constant crisis because of wars, violence, lack of love and so much suffering. Today, God’s Harvest is great and in need of more workers. Tell Him, here I am Lord, send me. And remember Jesus’s words, “you did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in My name the Father will give you.” (John 15:16)

I also want to thank all the women who attended the Metanoia for Women last month. An encounter that helped each one of them experience the transforming presence of the Spirit of God in their lives and understand the mission that each one of them should accomplish from their homes and with their families. Now they are also sent and destined to bear fruit, a fruit that will remain because they too are called. I invite them and you to join the I Am the 73rd Project, a project for those, who like me, want to consecrate their life to Jesus and become servant leaders for these times wherein you will be equipped to connect, learn, and transform yourself and the world; contact us at (818) 912-5847 or write to us at info@iam73.net, we are waiting to assist you.

I extend a cordial invitation to each of you to join us in ESNE El Sembrador 40th anniversary celebration next Saturday, April 6, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Los Angeles. I want to see you there so that we can thank God together for so much good received.

And I can only thank each one of you for your prayers and contributions to continue our mission so that none will be lost, and all will be saved. Remember: If you are ok with God, all is well!