WORLD MISSION MONTH | On this World Mission Sunday, let us pray, act and give as the Lord’s “witnesses”
Reflections on the readings for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (October 23, 2022): SIR 35:12-14,16-18; PS 34:2-3,17-18,19,23; 2TM 4:6-8,16-18; LK 18:9-14
MISSIO offers “Mission In Scripture” to nurture a missionary heart, providing reflections on the missionary themes in the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
Both the importance of spreading the Good News of salvation through our Lord and His promise to remain with us is essential to the belief of all Christians.
Many of us are what are commonly known as “cradle Catholics.” We were babies when our parents had us baptized in their parish church. They were carrying on a family tradition; perhaps one that went back generations. But a number of us made that choice for ourselves. At some point, we came to believe that being a follower of Jesus Christ as a Catholic was truly essential to us. For all faithful Catholics, our whole being, our entire way of life is infused with the gift of the Holy Spirit that we received at Baptism. And every year at the Easter Vigil we have the joy of renewing our Baptismal vows. Whether we made the decision to become Catholic or some grandparents or other ancestors did that a hundred or a thousand years ago, we believe that the Son of God came to rescue us from sin and eternal death. Today, on World Mission Sunday, let us celebrate the gift of faith, the gift of salvation by supporting the Church’s efforts to continue spreading the Good News.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “It is from God’s love for all men that the Church in every age receives both the obligation and the vigor of her missionary dynamism.… The Church, to whom this truth has been entrusted, must go out to meet their desire, so as to bring them the truth. Because she believes in God’s universal plan of salvation, the Church must be missionary.” If we believe in Christ as our Savior and the Savior of all humankind, we must accept our precious responsibility to introduce Him to others. We can touch people through our prayer and influence. We can also make a great difference by helping the Church’s missionaries and those they care about and care for. By letting people know the love of God through our love for them, soul and body, we draw them ever closer to Him. We can choose each day to pray, to act, to give – in other words, to love our brothers and sisters, whoever they are, wherever they are, and to let them know how much Christ loves them, too.
Suggested missionary action: Today let us honor World Mission Sunday, the Church’s faithful missionaries throughout he centuries, and the countless people who have received our Lord’s word of salvation through their witness. We can commit ourselves to supporting the ongoing work of the Missions through daily prayer and financial help, especially in today’s collection for the Missions.
For resources for the celebration of World Mission Sunday, visit this website.
