In the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus tells the disciples to be missionary: to “Go therefore and make disciples of all.” We are the hands and feet and eyes and ears and voice of the Living Christ until He comes again in glory.
So, who are we, this world-wide Catholic community of over 1.3 billion disciples of Jesus?
First, we celebrate the
awesome presence of Jesus Christ—our way into eternal life, our truth who
scatters falsehood, and our life who overcomes death. We retell the stories of
Jesus in the Gospels; and celebrate the presence of the living Christ: especially
in our fellow
human beings, temples of God; in the Bible, a privileged form of
conversation between God and us; and in liturgical signs like water in baptism,
bread and wine in the Eucharist, and oil in confirmation and the anointing of
the sick. The living Christ through the power of the Spirit lives within this
Catholic community, within you and me, and the energy and vitality of the
Spirit can fire us up to do wonders for God.
And this Catholic family takes a stand on peace and justice. I think of the letters of recent popes, and shelters, hospices, soup kitchens, literacy programs, immigration services, hospitals and schools all over the world that our Catholic community sponsors.
Think of international efforts
such as Catholic Relief Services, Caritas and the Catholic Agency for Overseas
Development, to name but a few.
Yes, my brothers and sisters, we should be proud to belong to this world-wide Catholic community with a mission. It is indeed a community which remembers and celebrates the presence of the living Christ: a family that strives to do the right thing.
May Christ inspire us today to continue to be energetic missionary disciples of good news, co-workers with God in this world, doing all the good we can. In all the ways we can. In all the places we can. To all the people we can. Whenever we can. As long as ever we can.