(ZENIT News – Archimadrid / Madrid, 23.10.2024).- Maruxa Ruiz and David Atienza were married 24 years ago. They have 10 children and 4 in Heaven. “We have been on mission in Guam, an Island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, since 2006. Pope Benedict XVI sent us with 200 other families of the Neo-Catechumenal Way.” Their vocation was born “to live the faith in this way of Christian initiation, sustained by our community in Madrid.”
The couple went to Guam, leaving their family, friends and work plans in Madrid. David was a Doctor of Anthropology and Maruxa an occupational therapist in mental health and family therapy. “Because, when God calls, you leave everything and the only thing that interests you is to follow Him.” In this regard, they say “we are witnesses of this Gospel because one who leaves home, siblings, parents or children for Me and for the Gospel, will receive a hundredfold – homes and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions –, and, in the age to come, eternal life. God has provided in abundance, we have never lacked anything, and on top of that certifies in us that eternal life exists.”
“God Exists and Is Father”
Maruxa says that they know that “the mission helps us all, and it’s vital to abandon our plans to preserve our faith and that of our children. She also explains that a comfortable, assured life, and the desire to control the future makes you lose your bearings, and when you are “disorientated” you forget from Whom you have life. In that moment, you begin to believe that “you, yourself, give yourself life by working, saving, doing many things, and above all, you think you have everything under control.” And, in fact, it’s all the contrary, “when you let the Lord lead you, you truly begin to know Him.”
It’s an incredible experience “to know that God exists and that He is a Father, then you are no longer afraid of life.” In this regard, she specifies that “everything has its origin in God, who is Creator, the Author of life, hence, when He gives it to you, you have peace.”
“Our Life Is a Miracle Where God Acts”
In regard to the faith, she says it’s “not an accessory to the spiritual life,” it’s the “certainty that God exists and moves you to do incredible things” In this respect, she highlights that it’s because of faith that she continues married after 24 years, has 10 children, left her professional career without regretting the time she invested in it, lost her life of travelling, etc. She also points out that for the faith “we evangelize many afternoons and weekends, exhausting our body and spend many hours talking about Jesus Christ.” In short, “our life is a miracle where God acts.”
Gifts of the Mission
Maruxa explains that one of the gifts with which the Lord has blessed them was “the birth of our first daughter born in the Island, with Down’s syndrome and, with her also another gift, “the gift of opening ourselves to life” having our other children. She also said that her fourth daughter “was the door that opened us to life with joy, dissipating all fears to have more children.”
“My Mission Is To Be”
Another one of her children, Mateo, 21, arrived in Guam when he was only three: “I entered the mission through my parents who rose to give their life in the Island’s Redemptoris Mater Seminary. For a long time his mission was just to be “son”, but over time “I began to see that my mission was quite simple.” He explained that among his friends and the people of Guam, he was different in appearance, but also in purpose, so his mission is ”to be.” Mateo tries, “with the grace of the Holy Spirit, to be a Christian man and to be so in all his actions, to be able to represent Christ, and thus give some hope to the people around me.” He also visits the prison “to proclaim the Good News to prisoners and attends the Eucharistic Celebration.” He explains, moreover, that another of his missions is to ”take care of my siblings so my parents can continue evangelizing.”
“I Have a Mission in the Island of Guam”
Gabriel, 18, is the third child of Maruxa and David. He was only six months old when his parents arrived in Guam. When he arrived in the Island he didn’t speak English very well and when he was little he had no friends. In this regard he says that although it has been difficult to jump over some obstacles, he sees that “God has made him happy.” Moreover, he points out that the communities of the Neo-Catechumenal Way “help me to mature spiritually and see the love of God in my life and in the mission.” He says he loves the Island and has his mission there.
“God Loved Me Unconditionally”
When Maruxa was 12 years old her parents separated it, and she felt a void within her. During that time she thought that “love never lasted forever,” and she wanted to “please everyone, ”because that did give me security, it was like oxygen to live,” but I didn’t realize that I was mistaken because that enslaved me, I felt an existential suffocation, I always looked for a new guy to please or anyone who would pay attention to me. In short, she “wasn’t free,” she always had a “tremendous dissatisfaction“ and an “anxiety to seek.” However, one day she heard the Good News in her parish. There she heard that “God loves me unconditionally.” At that moment, an enormous joy invaded her. She realized that there was a place where she didn’t have to do anything, it was in the Church. And then she “stayed [in the Church] forever because I haven’t found this LOVE anywhere else.”
“Have a Daily Easter”
Maruxa acknowledges that she now knows she has a treasure and that it is for everyone, namely, every man must be exposed to receive the Good News. Hence, have a daily Easter, namely, to pass from death to life, is the Christian’s movement, you die and receive life from God. ”It’s a wonderful plan and that’s our mission.”
“Go Out and Invite All to the Banquet”
In regard to DOMUND’s motto, “Go out and invite all to the banquet” [DOMUND is the World Day of Missions and in 2024 it was held on October 20, ndr] she points out that there is a banquet prepared in Heaven for each one of us, but that we must begin this very day to live this Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
She also recalls that this year it’s been announced that we will live a Jubilee, therefore, it is the time to be reconciled with the Lord and with others, praying for forgiveness and also for a humble heart. Hence don’t forget, concluded Maruxa, that “we can me missionaries where we are, you only have to open the treasure you have before you.”
