29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (World Mission Sunday) – Year A.
By: Fr. Eugene Sixtus
Reading Texts:
Isaiah 45:1, 4-6
1Thessalonians 1:1-5
Mathew 22:15-21
May the name of the Lord be praised both now and forever, Amen. Today is world mission Sunday, and the Holy Mother Church urges us to set today aside to reflect on at least three important things.
1. The church wants us to reflect today on the lives and sacrifices of the missionaries who brought the Good news of salvation to us. It is very important we understand that many of the missionaries who came to evangelize us passed through a lot to bring the Gospel to us. Many died on their way to Africa, some stayed In a very terrible conditions, a lot more died in Africa where they were buried without their corpse been taken back to their father land. They overcame the barrier of culture, language and even lack social amenities. They parted with their families and comfort zones just to bring the Good news of Christ to us
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2. Today also we remember priests working in challenging environment and circumstances.
A lot of priests are still working in some mission territories. There are some of the priests who are known to me who are still working in missionary territories like Kenya, Cameron and even some parts of Nigeria. I was so touched seeing a friend of mine working in a place that is more like a desert, converting souls for Christ.
So many priests are martyrs because they live and work in an area where their life is in danger and in great risk. Today we pray for such priests that they may find joy and Fulfilment in their mission.
This is what the pope referred as a spirituality of constant exodus. He says we must go forth from our comfort zones in order to reach all the peripheries in need of the Light of the Gospel.
3. Reflecting on our mission as believers in the world. Today as ever we are called to evaluate and reflect on our lives as the Pope tells us in his message. To question our christian identity and our responsibilities in the world filled with confusion and frustration, where innocent christians are unjustly targeted.
My dear friends, today we are reminded that the mission in which the Lord entrusted to the apostles, To go into the world and preach the Good news is also our own mission as believers.
I would wish to propose five ways that we can also help out in carrying out this mission entrusted to us by the virtue of our baptism.
1. By forming a community of believers united in true love, solidarity and peace. This was the attraction of the early Christian Community.
2. By having a united, loving and peaceful family. A united family is a great witness to the world. A happy family witnesses to the beauty of a Christian family.
3. We fulfill the message of Gospel, the message of Christ to reach out to the needy, the poor, the “Lazarus”‘s’ in our community. We make Christ known to others when we show them genuine love and concern.
4. We make Christ known to the world when we courageously speak against any evil that stands against the Gospel values, policies and propaganda that violates the Christian culture. This was what the three Hebrew children did by refusing to bow to the evil practices of Nebuchadnezzar which cost them their lives.They never allowed timidity to compromise their witness to God.
5. We promote and help in the spreading of this good news by living a good life which is in consonance with the christian values, especially of humility, truth and love.
May I bring my reflection to an end by praying that God gives us the enabling grace to carry out His injunction of preaching the Good news to all creation. Amen.
Fada-Sharp
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