On Monday, I had the opportunity to visit Palm Island, an Aboriginal community in Queensland. I was grateful to spend time with Fr Mahn Le SVD and learn about his missionary life and ministry.

He took me to the school, library, learning centre, shopping centre, cemetery, chatting with people around and other places around the island. These may seem like simple things, but they helped me understand more about the community, its people, and their daily lives.

What touched me most was Fr Mahn Le's compassionate heart. People knew him and respected him as Father. I could see that his ministry was not simply about celebrating Mass or carrying out his duties as a priest. It was about being present with people, knowing them, listening to them, and walking alongside them.

I also met two missionary sisters from SSpS who are willing to serve the community. Their presence reminded me that missionary life is not always about doing great things. Sometimes, it is simply about sharing life with people and loving them without judgment.

This experience connects deeply with this Sunday’s Gospel. Jesus tells us that the greatest commandments are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbour as ourselves.

Jesus reminds us that love is the most important commandment. love is not just about what we say, but about how we live, how we treat others, and how we respond to the people around us.

As a newly ordained priest, I still have much to learn. Watching Fr Manh Le’s ministry challenged me to reflect: Am I willing to love others with a compassionate heart? Am I ready to serve those who need my help at any time? Am I willing to give my time and energy to others, even in small and simple ways?

I believe these questions are not only for me, priests and missionaries, but for all of us. We can all live out our missionary calling in our daily lives. It begins with the people around us, through the way we care for one another, listen to each other, and show kindness and understanding. Even in small ways, we can bring God’s love to others.

My visit lasted only one day, but it gave me an important lesson: being a missionary is not simply about what we do, but how we love and serve others.

This also reminds me that: To love God is also to love our neighbour, so that others may recognise God's love through our words, our actions, and our lives.