Mission and Service: The WrapUp of The 1st Year in Japan
By John Francis Mukulu, SJ
It has now been one year since I arrived in Japan for my mission of studies in Green Science and Engineering. This journey has been one of constant balance, intertwining the academic, apostolic, and religious dimensions of life. Each day has called for the grace to remain faithful both to my vocation and to the intellectual mission entrusted to me.
This year also brought the grace of my first annual retreat in Japan. With Ignatian themes approached in a Japanese context, it became a moment of true spiritual renewal. It was a chance to reboot and to thank God for the sustaining presence of His Spirit thus far, and to seek strength for what lies ahead.
During the semester break, there was also time to explore Japan’s deep historical and cultural heritage. A visit to Kamakura revealed the richness of 12th-century Japan, where tradition and spirituality have long shaped the nation’s identity. Alongside temples and shrines, we also encountered signs of the Catholic Church’s enduring missionary presence. A reminder that christian faith has quietly but persistently taken root even here.
As we prepare to begin a new semester, my prayer is that every grace received and every skill acquired may not remain personal gains but be placed once again at the service of God’s vineyard. May the same zeal that brought us here continue to sustain us, so that study, apostolate, and prayer may together bear fruit for the least of the Lord’s people, and for the mission entrusted to our Society in this corner of the world.