We Are One with the Church Around the World

World Mission Sunday

Isaiah 60: 1-6

Acts 13:46-49

Matthew 28:16-20

I remembered when I passed comprehensive exam, I was so excited that I couldn’t wait to call my mother and friends. When we have good news we want to share it. It is the same with faith in God. When people are so excited about what God has done for them, they want to share it. The Father sending his Son Jesus on the greatest mission to us has inspired countless men and women down through the centuries to also go on a mission to spread the kingdom of God. In today’s Gospel, before ascending into heaven, Jesus commissions his disciples to go out and make disciples of all nations. The annual celebration of Mission Sunday gives us a chance to reflect on the importance of the mission for the life of the Church.

There are two Patron Saints of the Mission: Francis Xavier and Therese of the Child Jesus. Francis Xavier went to the Orient in 1541 where for ten years he tirelessly proclaimed the Gospel in India and Japan, and through his hard work brought many to believe. He tried to enter China but died in 1552 on the island of Sancian that is now part of the China coast. We, Asians, respect him as the apostle of South-East Asia. St. Therese, also called Little Flower, entered the Carmelite monastery at Lisieux in France as a teenager. She lived a life of humility, evangelical simplicity, and trust in God. She offered her life for the salvation of souls and the growth of the Church. The Church honors both of them as Patron Saints of the Mission. This indicates that the Church needs two forces, going out on the mission and prayer, to spread the kingdom of God.

Everybody is aware that with the passage of time the number of priests and religious is gradually decreasing. The role of the laity within the Church has been brought to the foreground, not as a result of the decrease in priestly vocations but because of the unique value of the sacrament of baptism. Through this sacrament, the baptized are called to become disciples of the Lord, whereby they are called to take an active role in the mission of the Church. It is not just the priests and Sisters who are called to go on the mission. We are all called to be a missionary, to be a missionary where we are by letting the light of Jesus shine through us wherever we are.

The Church needs lots of people to go out on the mission, like Francis Xavier. However, not everybody has to go to Africa or Asia to be a missionary. You can be a missionary in your parish, in your family, and in the place where you work. Sometimes it may be more difficult to be a missionary in your own parish, your own family, and in the place where you work than being a missionary in another country. Undeniably there are missionary challenges that we face at home: a secular and consumer society for whom God is not important; or a post-modern society for whom institutions, such as the Church, are not to be trusted; or a society in which ethnic and religious differences flare up into conflicts and divisions. St. Therese never set foot on the mission but she prayed for missionaries and offered her life for the mission. She was an example on how to be a missionary for those who cannot go out on the mission.

Mission Sunday also gives us a chance to reflect on the Church’s mission worldwide, where the specific missionary challenges are different from here in the US. Their challenges may come from an oppressive, controlling or persecuting government; or from the poverty, hunger and famine of their people; or from ethnic conflicts or lack of education. We are reminded on this day that we cannot be so absorbed in the challenges that face us that we can be indifferent to the challenges that our brothers and sisters throughout the world face everyday.

God does not always carry out His plans in the way we might expect. To see God’s concern for the world we must look not only at what the Church does but also at what God does through others. Sometimes what looks like a disaster for the local Church turns out to be a blessing. When the Communists took over China in 1949, excluded all foreign missionaries, and did everything in their power to suppress the Church, there were about three million Catholics. When the Church surfaced again the 1980s there were eight million Catholics. Today there are more than twelve million Catholics. How is it that God can accomplish His plan through secular forces that do not acknowledge Him? We must always be aware it is God’s world and God’s mission, and many take part in it, without even knowing it.

On this Mission Sunday we are invited to remember those Churches and missionaries who are facing persecutions, poverty, and ethic conflicts—we must remember to pray for them, and to be one with them as they try in their difficult situations to witness to the love of God. Mission Sunday is indeed a gift to the Church. It reminds us that we are one with the Church around the world and that we are all committed to carrying on the mission of Christ, however different our situations may be.

There are a lot of challenges to be a missionary in this modern world. Either staying at home or going out on the mission, one cannot escape from these challenges. Sometimes, these challenges are so strong that we can feel powerless and our missionary work may seem to be fruitless. Even when we work so hard, so few people believe. We must know that conversion is God’s work. We can present the Good News, but it is the power of God and the Holy Spirit that provide the converts. The words of Mother Theresa of India can encourage us: we are called not to be successful, but to be faithful. Being faithful to God is our success. Let us be faithful to God and to the mission of Christ.

Basilica of SS. Peter & Paul, Philadelphia Cathedral

October 22, 2006

We are all called to be missionary since Baptism

It is not just the priests and Sisters who are called to go on the missions. You too are called to be missionary since your baptism, to be missionary where you are by letting the light of Jesus shine where you are. Remember what Jesus said,

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one puts a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in people’s sight so that seeing your good works they may give praise to your Father in heaven.” (Matt 6)

So you don’t have to go to Africa to be a missionary, you can be a missionary in this parish and in the place where you work. And sometimes it may be more difficult to be a missionary in your own parish and in the place where you work than being a missionary in Africa. You know that the Patron Saint of the Missions is St Thérèse of Lisieux and she never set foot on the missions. Earlier this week (2003) I attended the funeral of a Sister in this diocese and due to her apostolic activity in that parish one of the comments made about her, which was so true, was, “she was a great missionary.” So you don’t have to go to Africa to be a missionary, you can be a missionary in your own parish and in the place where you work.

Love your Children

In August 1999 an article was published in Readers Digest by Felice Prager commenting on the difficulties of parents. In the course of the article the author commented that she still remembers a piece of advice she heard some years earlier which continues to inspire her to give her best to her children. It was given by Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa had given a speech about her work with the sick and dying and orphans in India. Afterwards, a member of the audience, who seemingly wanted to assist her in her great work, asked, “You have done so much to make the world a better place. What can we do?” Mother Teresa smiled and simply said, “Love your children.” Not pleased with her answer, the questioner was about to speak again when she raised her hand and said, “There are other things you can do, but that is the best. Love your children. Love your children as much as you can. That is the best.”

Ireland and the missions

When you have good news you want to share it. It is the same with faith in God. When people are so enthusiastic about what God has done for us they want to share it. The Father sending his Son Jesus on the greatest mission to us has inspired countless men and women down through the centuries to also go on a mission to spread the kingdom of God. So in the fifth century the faith was brought to Ireland by St Patrick probably in 432 AD and by another bishop named Palladius who came before him. Then we became enthusiastic about the faith and we wanted to share the faith. Monasteries grew up and in the following century monks left Ireland to found monasteries abroad. In 563 St Colm Cille founded a monastery in Iona off Scotland which was responsible for the evangelization of much of Scotland and northern England. Inspired by him, St Columbanus went on an even greater mission in 589. He has been described as another St Patrick or St Paul since he founded monasteries in England, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and founded his last monastery in Bobbio, Italy, in 613 AD. The monastery he founded in Luxeuil in France founded nearly one hundred other monasteries before the year 700.

In the twentieth century a great missionary drive began from our country again with the Columban Fathers, the Kiltegan Fathers and the Society of African Missionaries spreading the kingdom of God in many parts of the world.

The annual celebration of Mission Sunday gives us a chance to reflect on the importance of mission for the life of the Church.

Undeniably there are missionary challenges that we face at home: a secular and consumer society for whom God is not important; or a post-modern society for whom institutions, such as the Church, are not to be trusted; or a society in which ethnic and religious difference flare up into conflicts and divisions.

But Mission Sunday also gives us a chance to reflect on the Church’s mission worldwide, where the specific missionary challenges are different from ours. Their challenges may come from an oppressive, controlling or persecuting government; or from the poverty, hunger and famine of their people; or from ethnic conflicts or lack of education.

We are reminded on this day that we cannot be so absorbed in the challenges that face us that we can be indifferent to the challenges our brothers and sisters face elsewhere.

All three readings in today’s Mass have a missionary dimension to them.

● In the first reading God addresses a king. What is amazing is that it is the God of Israel addressing a Persian King. God makes the statement that even though the King does not know Him, the King will carry out God’s will for Israel so that people will know: ‘I am the Lord, unrivalled; there is no other God besides me.’ This reading reminds us of the mystery we often face in looking at the experience of mission in today’s world. God does not always carry out His plans in the way we might expect. To see God’s concern for the world we must look not only at what the Church does but also at what God does through others.

So, sometimes what looks like a disaster for the local Church turns out to be a blessing in disguise. When the Communists took over China in 1949, excluded all foreign missionaries, and did everything in their power to suppress the Church, there were about three million Catholics. When the Church surfaced again the 1980s there were eight million Catholics. Today, after more than fifty years of State control there are more than twelve million Catholics. How is it that God can accomplish His plan through secular forces that do not acknowledge Him? We must always be aware it is God’s world and God’s mission, and many take part in it, without even knowing it.

● In the second reading Paul is writing to the local Church in Thessalonica to assure them that they are remembered in prayer. Paul is grateful to God for the way they accepted the Gospel which came to them ‘not only as words, but as power and as the Holy Spirit and as utter conviction.’ He says that they are remarkable for their show of faith, hope and love. Their faith produces fruit, the most significant of which is the love they have for others. Paul reminds missionaries everywhere that conversion is God’s work. We can present the Gospel, but it is the power of God and the Holy Spirit that provide the converts.

● The Gospel relates how the Pharisees and Herodians were looking for a way to entrap Jesus. There was a dispute among these Jewish leaders about whether or not good Orthodox Jews could pay the poll tax. Some argued against it on the grounds that the Jewish nation was subject only to God and that the coin used for the tax bore an image of Caesar (for other commercial exchanges the Romans allowed the use of coins without images out of respect for Jewish sensitivities). Others argued for collaboration in order to preserve the privileges and liberties they had. It was a perfect trap. Jesus could not choose one over the other without either getting himself in trouble with Roman authorities or alienating some of his followers.

But Jesus avoided the trap. His response: Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s told his followers clearly that his kingdom was not about political revolution but about committing oneself to serving and worshipping God. Love, service and adoration were to be everyone’s priorities. Jesus was not laying down guidelines for Church-State relations but rather was stating that one could be a good citizen as long as the claims of God were recognised.

While the principle seems clear enough the practice is not always so straightforward. There are Caesars even in today’s world who would claim that loyalty to the nation or national leader must come above any religious obligation. There are also Caesars who will not even allow their citizens to carry out any religious practices. In these situations missionaries and local Churches must walk a fine line between loyalty to God and being a good citizen, recognising that persecution will often follow.

On this Mission Sunday we are invited to remember those Churches and missionaries who are faced by persecution, to pray for them, and to be one with them as they try even in these difficult situations to witness to the love of God.

Mission Sunday is indeed a gift to the Church. It reminds us that we are one with the Church around the world and that we are all committed to carrying on the mission of Christ, however different our situations may be.

Everybody is aware that with the passage of time the number of priests and religious is gradually decreasing. The role of the laity within the Church has been brought to the foreground, not as a result of the decrease in priestly vocations but because Vatican Council II (1962-65) has ushered in a rediscovery of the unique value of the sacrament of baptism. Through this sacrament, the baptized are called to become disciples of the Lord, whereby they are called to take an active role in the mission of the Church. The laity even have a role to play in the way the Christian community is to be led and oriented. In fact, in many of our parishes, there are structures which create space for clerics and lay people together to discern how a particular community can develop and grow in a particular point in time in the light of the Word of God.

At this point it is good for religious leaders (be them cleric or lay) to ask themselves the meditative question: ‘what kind of leaders are we in today’s ecclesial community?’ Surely, we would not like to be like those in Jesus’ times. This means that we cannot direct our energies and focus merely on the external cult (liturgical celebrations, ministering of sacraments, etc.) because, although these are central to our faith, we can be caught up in the illusion that through such means alone we would be drawing people to God. Hence, the pastoral ministers as well as lay pastoral assistants must seek to posses two fundamental characteristics: (i) a passion for God, whereby his/her life must radiate a genuine and mature love for the Lord, and (ii) a compassionate love for all his/her fellow brethren, which entails being ready to show solidarity with everyone, especially the needy.

These two characteristics reveal a common element: it is love which pushes us forward. Where there is love, there is really no need for rules and norms telling us what we ought or ought not do. Somebody driven by mature love does what he has to do out of loving service to his brethren and actually does not need any law to regulate his behaviour. Perhaps it is in this sense that Saint Augustine said: “Love God and do what you want”.