This week Pope Francis challenges us to collaborate with God’s mission, especially in our service to others.

Commenting on the Sunday Gospel of the foolish virgins who didn’t fill their lamps full of oil, Francis said the lamp we all hold is “the symbol of faith that illuminates our lives” and the oil in that lamp, “is the symbol of charity which fuels the lamp making the light of faith fruitful and credible.”

He then continued by boldly saying, “A life that is poor in charity is devoid of true light.”

Pope Francis urged all people to “be vigilant and to try to do good through actions of love, sharing and service” in order to “be ready to meet with the Lord.” “Faith inspires charity and charity safeguards faith.”

This essential message of the Gospel is also an essential part of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. We are a worldwide prayer network at the service of the Pope’s monthly prayer intentions. These intentions are seen as actual challenges for humanity and for the Church, as they express the Holy Father’s concerns in today’s world. We then try to orient our actions and our prayer during that month to meet that particular intention.

Prayers are necessary for the monthly intention, but we must allow our prayers to transform our lives, encountering each day with a charitable heart united to the Heart of Christ.

As we offer our daily lives to God, let us not forget the charity we need to possess to collaborate with Christ’s mission on earth, and by doing so be prepared to meet the Lord when he comes again.