杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

World Mission Day 鈥渋s a good opportunity for every baptized person to become more aware of the need to cooperate in proclaiming the Kingdom of God through a renewed commitment鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis said at the Angelus on Sunday.

The Holy Father reflected on a passage from the second Reading in the Mass of the Day: 鈥淧reach the Word, be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage 鈥� with great patience and careful instruction鈥�, taken from St Paul鈥檚 Second Letter to St Timothy. 鈥淭he tone is heartfelt,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis said. 鈥淭imothy must feel responsible for the proclamation of the Word鈥�.

A new impetus

He referred back to the Apostolic Letter , promulgated by 杏MAP导航 Benedict XV, which gave a 鈥渘ew impetus to the missionary responsibility of the whole Church鈥�. 杏MAP导航 Francis said that, 鈥渋n today鈥檚 changed context, Benedict XV鈥檚 message is still relevant and stimulates us to overcome the temptation of any self-referential closure and any form of pastoral pessimism, in order to open ourselves to the joyful novelty of the Gospel鈥�.

杏MAP导航 Francis said that this means 鈥渉earing strongly the call to the mission towards all peoples and towards all those who, here among us, live on the margins鈥�. He warned that living fraternity 鈥渙nly in our own closed circle means to suffocate the Spirit, who unites us to proclaim to all that Christ is our peace and in Him every division is overcome, in Him alone there is the salvation of every person and all peoples鈥�.

Prayer, the indispensable condition for mission

He then reminded us of the 鈥渋ndispensable condition鈥� for 鈥渓iving the mission to the full鈥�, namely, prayer 鈥渁 fervent and incessant prayer, according to the teaching of Jesus proclaimed in today's Gospel as well, in which He tells a parable on the need to 鈥榩ray always, and not give up鈥欌��, the 杏MAP导航 said. 鈥淧rayer, he continued, 鈥渋s the first support the People of God can give missionaries鈥�.

World Mission Day, he said, 鈥渋s also a good occasion to ask ourselves, Do I pray for missionaries? Do I pray for those who go far away to bring the Word of God with their witness?鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his reflection with the prayer that 鈥淢ary, Mother of all nations, might accompany and protect the missionaries of the Gospel every day鈥�.