Monday, October 19, 2020

Twenty-Ninth Sunday In Ordinary Time (aka World Mission Sunday)

It’s World Mission Sunday with special bible readings. Saint Paul’s letter to the Christian community in Rome gives a call to action: How can people believe if they have not heard? People must be sent to preach the good news. 

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.
 

 Another thing I like about belonging to this world-wide community of disciples is that we are all family: sons and daughters of God our Father as Pope Francis highlighted in his latest letter “Brothers and Sisters All.” Oh yes, we debate this or that, but don’t all families. An argument can be a good sign that we care enough to disagree about something. We are a global family that stretches back to early Christianity: a family that will continue into this millennium and perhaps many more. This family lives under a huge tent or umbrella. Yes, some are good and others are downright dysfunctional. Yet we have to strive to do the right thing, despite lapses. We must continually forgive ourselves and one another, let go of burdens of guilt, let go of bitterness, and get our lives back on track. Every day is a fresh start into eternity.

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.