World Mission Sunday: October 23, 2005
 |
||
 |
Sept. 30 |
 |
|
10th Anniversary of the martyrdom of Fr. Aldo Marchiol, Fr. Ottorino Maule, Catina Gubert in Buyengero, Burundi
|
issionaries as ‘bread broken for the life of the world”: so begins one of the main paragraphs of the annual message for the World Mission Sunday, 2005, which John Paul II had signed last February 22nd and determined that it be made public on April 16th for the world’s bishops to spread in time for its celebration on the Third Sunday of October.
“World Mission Sunday, in this year dedicated to the Eucharist, - we read in the document – helps us to better understand the ‘Eucharistic’ sense of our life.” The Holy Father explains that, following the example of Christ, “in the ‘breaking of the bread’ offered for the whole of humanity, … we too are called to offer our life for our brothers and sisters, especially those most in need’, and he adds that “while the Eucharist helps us to understand more fully the significance of the mission, it leads every individual believer, the missionary in particular, to be ‘bread broken for the life of the world’.”
The text goes on to underline that “in our day human society appears to be shrouded in dark shadows while it is shaken by tragic events and shattered by catastrophic natural disasters,” but it adds that the Redeemer “present in the Eucharist, continues through the centuries to show compassion for humanity’s poor and suffering. And it is in His Name – it confirms – that pastoral workers and missionaries travel unexplored paths to carry the ‘bread’ of salvation to all.”
“In His Name missionaries all over the world proclaim and witness to the Gospel (…); they too become ‘bread broken’ for their brothers and sisters, some even to the point of sacrificing their life.”
While the Eucharist helps us to understand more fully the significance of the mission, it leads every individual believer, the missionary in particular, to be ‘bread broken for the life of the world’.
How many missionary martyrs in our day! - it goes on. - May their example draw numerous young men and women to tread the path of heroic fidelity to Christ! The Church has need of men and women willing to consecrate themselves wholly to the great cause of the Gospel.”
Speaking specifically of World Mission Sunday, John Paul II says that “it is an opportune occasion to increase our awareness of the urgent necessity to participate in the evangelizing mission undertaken by the local Communities and many Church organizations. This mission requires the support not only of prayer and sacrifice, but also of concrete material offerings.”
Pope John Paul II dies at the beginning of April, before his Annual Mission Message was published. Its posthumous publication is a further occasion to thank God for the gift of John Paul II to the Church and to the Mission, and calls for a renewal of commitment on the part of all so that the missionary activity always find its origin and summit in the Eucharistic life.
(From Xaverian Mission Newsletter)