杏MAP导航

By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

杏MAP导航 Francis released his annual Message for World Mission Sunday 2020 on Pentecost Sunday. It鈥檚 theme is taken from Isaiah: 鈥淗ere am I, send me鈥� (6:8). World Mission Sunday is celebrated on October 18 in 2020.

Call to mission in the current crisis

The 杏MAP导航 began his message recalling the words he expressed on the occasion of the extraordinary moment of prayer on 27 March. Even in the disorientation and fear provoked by the current international crisis, 杏MAP导航 Francis says the Lord continues to ask 鈥淲hom shall I send?鈥� Even as we touch our frailty in the pain and death we are experiencing, we are also reminded 鈥渙f our deep desire for life and liberation from evil鈥�. This is where the call to mission emerges as an 鈥渋nvitation to step out of ourselves for love of God and neighbour鈥� through °service and intercessory prayer鈥�, he writes.

Missionaries with Jesus the Missionary

Just as Jesus completely accomplished His mission by dying on the cross, 鈥渨e find ourselves precisely when we give ourselves to others鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis continues. Our mission, our call, our willingness to be sent originate in His own vocation as 鈥渢he Father鈥檚 Missionary鈥�. 鈥淥ur personal vocation鈥� is rooted in 鈥渢he fact that we are sons and daughters of God in the Church鈥�.

The Church as Missionary

杏MAP导航 Francis explains that it is specifically the Church that 鈥渃ontinues the mission of Jesus in history鈥�. Thus the baptized members of the Church are sent forth in her name. Through our witness and proclamation of the Gospel, God continues 鈥渢o manifest His love鈥�. This is how He is able to 鈥渢ouch and transform hearts, minds, bodies, societies and cultures in every place and time.鈥�

Response to a relationship

鈥淢ission is a free and conscious response to God鈥檚 call鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 reminds us. A call to mission can only be discerned 鈥渨hen we have a personal relationship of love with Jesus present in his Church鈥�. That leads to the question of our preparedness to welcome the Holy Spirit鈥檚 presence and action in our lives. That call comes to married couples, consecrated persons and ordained ministers in life鈥檚 everyday events. Another question the 杏MAP导航 says we should ask ourselves is if we are willing 鈥渢o be sent forth at any time or place to witness to our faith鈥� and relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit., And the last question is if we are willing to respond as Mary did always 鈥渞eady to be completely at the service of God鈥檚 will?鈥� 

Mission responds to life

The challenge for the Church鈥檚 mission right now is that of 鈥� Understanding what God is saying to us at this time of pandemic鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis acknowledges. As people die alone or are abandoned, as others lost their jobs, with the necessity of social distancing or saying at home, the 杏MAP导航 says that we are invited 鈥渢o rediscover that we need social relationships as well as our communal relationship with God鈥�. This situation can increase our awareness of the need to relate to others, he says. God will touch our hearts through prayer which will always open us to understand others鈥� needs. Those of us who have  not been able to participate in the Church鈥檚 liturgical life now understand 鈥渢he experience of the many Christian communities that cannot celebrate Mass every Sunday鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said.

Whom shall I send?

God鈥檚 question expressed by the Prophet Isaiah 鈥渋s addressed once more to us and awaits a generous and convincing response: 鈥楬ere am I, send me!鈥� (Is 6:8). 杏MAP导航 Francis says at the conclusion of his message. World Mission Sunday will be a day on which we will be able to reaffirm through prayer, reflection and material help our active participation in Jesus鈥檚 mission in His Church. 杏MAP导航 Francis specifies that the collection taken up on 18 October will support 鈥渢he missionary work carried out in my name by the Pontifical Mission Societies, in order to meet the spiritual and material needs of peoples and Churches throughout the world, for the salvation of all.鈥�