Spiritan Father Binh Quach grew up in Vietnam. He was a victim of war, was imprisoned, and suffered from epilepsy. He didn't know where to go. Reading Libermann's life story allowed him to see how the Lord loved him. Jewish trust The spirituality of our cofounder, Francis Mary Paul Libermann, is vital for our time. It's vital because its roots reach back to the Old Testament. Growing up as a Jew, Libermann came to know the living God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- the mysterious God ever faithful to his promises. That experience gave him a tremendous sense of the presence of God in his life. After his conversion to Christianity, he was disowned by his father and suffered terrible sickness that delayed his ordination. Nonetheless, his Jewish conviction of the fidelity of God the Father allowed him to perceive the negative as well as the positive events in his life as gifts of God. Eastern wisdom Our spiritual heritage bridges spirituality, East and West. Libermann's spirituality resonates with many themes of Asian cultures. Like the masters of the East, he had a deep sense of the mystery of life. His systemless spirituality is the foundation for his understanding of practical union with God. Libermann saw that to dance with the Divine, we must let go of our own selves, egos, and desires and trust in the divine mystery always present to us. We must become as light as a feather and be radically flexible to the direction of the Holy Spirit. He writes, "O divine Spirit, I want to be before you like a light feather, so that your breath may carry me where it will and that I may not offer the least resistance to it." Christian charity On his deathbed, Libermann encouraged his followers: "Be fervent, fervent, always fervent, and, above all, charity, charity, charity above all. Charity in Jesus Christ, charity through Jesus Christ, charity in the name of Jesus Christ." We are not monks, but our lives are dedicated to the apostolic life which is rooted in Christ's mission. "The apostolic life is that life of love and of holiness lived on earth by the Son of God in order to save and sanctify people. By it He continually sacrificed Himself, thereby glorifying the Father and saving the world" (Spiritan Rule of Life, no. 3). Seeking to live that apostolic life everyday means carrying on Christ's life and love. When we are faithful to that call, we are just as much in union with God the Father as Jesus was in the Father's love. "Union with God in prayer leads us to be of service to others, and the apostolic work we do is, in its turn, a worship offered to God in the Sprit and a deepening of our union with Him" (Spiritan Rule of Life, no. 87). What is distinctive about Spiritan spirituality is the kind of work it leads us to do: ministry to the poor, to those who have never heard the Gospel before, and to those places no one else will go. We say in prayer, "Here I am, Lord, send me." And He does.