Servants and Apostles of Jesus Christ
.
1. Humanity is in need of liberation
original source
On this occasion I feel duty-bound to take up the Message which is Jesus
of the Holy Father for World Missionary Day, because it is Christ, from
particularly enlightening and full of proposal: “The
whose pierced
missionary mandate continues to be an absolute priority for heart flows
all the baptised, called to be “servants and apostles of ChristGod's love”
Jesus” at the beginning of the millennium. My revered (Deus caritas
predecessor, the Servant of God Paul VI, already said in his est, 7). Only
Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi that
from this source
“Evangelizing is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the can we draw the
Church, her deepest identity.” (n. 14).
attention,
…St Paul had understood well that only in Christ can
tenderness,
humanity find redemption and hope. Therefore he warned compassion,
how pressing and urgent is the mission to “proclaim the acceptance,
promise of life in Christ Jesus” (2 Tm 1:1), “our hope” (1 availability,
Tm. 1:1), so that all peoples may join in the same
involvement in
inheritance of being participants in the promise by means of people's
the Gospel (cf. Eph. 3,6). He was aware that without Christ, problems, and
humanity is “without hope and without God in the world other virtues
(Eph. 2,12) – without hope because it is without God” (Spe needed by messengers of the Gospel in order to leave
salvi, 3). In effect, “whoever does not know God, even everything and dedicate themselves completely and
though he may have many hopes, deep down is without unconditionally to spreading the perfume of Christ's charity
hope, without the great hope that is the foundation of all life throughout the world.
(Eph 2,12)” (Spe salvi, 27).
3. Always evangelising
2. Mission is a question of love
While first evangelisation is urgent and essential for not a
It is then an urgent duty for everyone to proclaim Christ and few regions in the world, a lack of clergy and vocations
his message of salvation. “Woe to me", St Paul said, "if I do today afflicts many dioceses and Institutes of Consecrated
not preach the Gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16). On the road to
Life. It is important to insist that, while faced with growing
Damascus he had already experienced and understood that difficulties, Christ's mandate to evangelise all people
redemption and mission are the work of God and his love. remains a priority. There can be no reason which justifies a
Love of Christ led him along the roads of the Roman
slowing down or pause in its regard, since “the mandate to
Empire as a herald, apostle, flag-bearer, teacher of the
evangelise all men constitutes the life and essential mission
Gospel, and one who would call himself “an ambassador in of the Church” (Evangelii nuntiandi, 14).
chains” (Eph 6:20). Divine love made him “all things to all
people, in order to save some at any cost” (1 Cor 9:22). 4. Woe to me if I do not evangelise (1 Cor 9,16)
Looking at St Paul's experience, we can understand that Dear brothers and sisters, “duc in altum”! Let us set out on
missionary activity is a response to the love with which God the sea of the world, following Jesus' invitation, casting our
loves us. His love redeems us and urges us to missio ad nets without fear, trusting in his constant assistance.
gentes; it is the spiritual energy capable of giving growth in
the human family to harmony, justice, communion amongst
people, races and nations, which everyone aspires to (cf
Don Pascual Chávez Villanueva
Enc. Deus caritas est, 12). It is God therefore, who is love,
Homily for the 139th Salesian Missionary Expedition
who leads the Church towards the frontiers of humanity and
Basilica of Mary Help of Christians – 28 September 2008
who calls on evangelisers to drink from “that first and
(the complete text is found in www.sdb.org)
A Missionary Writes
Shiu-Chow, 13 February 1930
My dearest mother ,
[...]In a few days I will leave here and with our bishop and some young girls who have finished their studies, I will
return to Lin-Chow. We will spend a good week in a boat. The way is full of pirates, however we are sure the Lord will
help us. Faced with all that my heart is calm and at peace. Oh how we feel that we are in God's hands! [...] Courage
my good mother, as you can see life is constant sorrow: however in prayer and confidence and an enlightened trust in
the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary Help of Christians, we find peace even in the midst of so much sorrow. Let nothing
disturb or frighten you [...].
[...] And now I recommend myself to you. You sent me some nice gifts and knowing the kindness of your heart I hold
these very dear, however the most beautiful gift you can give me is to pray and pray a lot for me. Only the Lord's
constant assistance can help us to support Priests and Missionaries in their lives. Pray, pray a lot for me that I may be
a holy priest dedicated only to the salvation of my soul and the souls of others. I know that you have until now always
prayed that I be a priest: now that I am one, pray that I may be a holy priest [...].
your ever affectionate son, Callistus
(this letter was written 12 days before his martyrdom )
