What does mission mean to us believers in God?
God the Father sent his Son, Jesus, into the world on a mission. God the Son, made man, Jesus Christ, founded his church to continue his saving mission on earth: “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you” (Jn 21:24). When his mission on earth was accomplished, Jesus, before ascending to His Father, also sent his apostles to make disciples of all nations, to teach the people, to baptise them, and to follow him (cf Mt 28:19-20).
Our Common Calling
What kind of missionaries does the church need today? Have I ever thanked God for my gift of faith? In response to these questions, we recognise ourselves as local missionaries among our own people. All the baptised and gifted members of the body of Christ are appointed by him to spread the kingdom, penetrating deeply into the world to infuse it with Gospel values. Practically, we are the missionaries in our own surroundings, amidst our highly secularised society. The gift of faith we have received also calls us to revitalise society with our love and presence, especially among the poor, the voiceless, the suffering, the forgotten, and the isolated.
As we celebrate World Mission Sunday, we think of missionaries who leave their homeland to go to foreign missions. These are men and women who answered a specific calling to follow Jesus, the first missionary sent by the Father, dedicating their lives to spreading the kingdom of God in other countries. To specially remember them today, we can ask ourselves the following questions:
- Do I pray for missionaries who are in foreign missions?
- Do I offer sacrifices for them?
- Do I save and give some alms or provide material support for this purpose?
- Do I pray to show gratitude for services received from local missionaries in my home parish or from those in foreign missions?
- Do I pray to discern if God is calling me to volunteer for the missions?
To conclude this short reflection, we say: “Mission must go wherever we go until we meet the One who sent us. The task of sharing Christ with others must continue until we are with Christ”.
May Mary, Star of Evangelisation, accompany us!
Dr Linda Tacorda
(Iloilo, The Philippines)
