Pope's Mission Day message: Every Christian a witness to Christ in daily life

POPE

Pope Francis releases his message for SA国际传媒 Mission Day 2022, celebrated on 23 October, and urges all Christians to proclaim Christ鈥檚 message of salvation in every aspect of our daily lives.

By Devin Watkins

Ever since 1926, the Church has celebrated SA国际传媒 Mission Day, which falls in 2022 on 23 October.

As the Church marks the Epiphany on Thursday, Pope Francis released .

鈥榊ou shall be my witnesses鈥�

The Pope reflected on three foundations of 鈥渢he life and mission of every disciple鈥�. The first, he said, is 鈥渢he call of every Christian to bear witness to Christ,鈥� calling it the 鈥渉eart of Jesus鈥� teaching to the disciples.鈥�

Pope Francis said Christ was the first to be sent to proclaim, as the Father鈥檚 missionary and as His 鈥渇aithful witness.鈥�

鈥淓very Christian is called to be a missionary and witness to Christ. And the Church, the community of Christ鈥檚 disciples, has no other mission than that of bringing the Gospel to the entire world by bearing witness to Christ. To evangelize is the very identity of the Church.鈥�

Living in a missionary key

The Pope said each baptized Christian is called to carry out the Church鈥檚 mission in a communitarian way, even in the ordinary activities of our daily lives.

Christians, he added, are sent on mission by the Church in Christ鈥檚 name, and never under our own initiative. He noted that Jesus sent the disciples out in pairs, since 鈥渢he witness of Christians to Christ is primarily communitarian in nature.鈥�

鈥淭he disciples are urged to live their personal lives in a missionary key: they are sent by Jesus to the world not only to carry out, but also and above all to live the mission entrusted to them; not only to bear witness, but also and above all to be witnesses of Christ.鈥�

Missionaries, said Pope Francis, proclaim the Good News of God鈥檚 salvation in Christ, not their own abilities or persuasive qualities.

鈥淚n evangelization,鈥� he added, 鈥渢he example of a Christian life and the proclamation of Christ are inseparable. One is at the service of the other.鈥�

鈥楾o the ends of the earth鈥�

Pope Francis went on to consider a second foundation of the Christian mission: 鈥渢o the ends of the earth.鈥�

He said the early disciples gradually expanded the scope of their mission, and lived an image of the Church 鈥済oing forth鈥� and guided by divine Providence, not the desire to proselytize.

As they faced persecution, early Christians fled their homelands, taking the Gospel with them to new countries, something which happens in our own day.

Pope Francis added that the phrase 鈥渢o the ends of the earth鈥� also challenges modern Christians to proclaim Christ to those who have still not encountered Him.

鈥淐hrist鈥檚 Church will continue to 鈥済o forth鈥� towards new geographical, social and existential horizons, towards 鈥渂orderline鈥� places and human situations, in order to bear witness to Christ and His love to men and women of every people, culture and social status.鈥�

鈥楶ower from the Holy Spirit鈥�

The Pope then turned to the third foundation of mission: 鈥淵ou will receive power from the Holy Spirit鈥�.

He said the Spirit broke the bonds of the Apostles鈥� fear in the first days after Jesus鈥� death and resurrection.

The Spirit prompted St. Peter to give his missionary address to people in Jerusalem, as recounted in Acts, kicking off an 鈥渁n era in which the disciples of Jesus evangelized the world.鈥�

Pope Francis added that Christians are only able to bear 鈥渇ull and genuine witness to Christ the Lord with the Spirit鈥檚 inspiration and assistance.

鈥淎ll Christ鈥檚 missionary disciples are called to recognize the essential importance of the Spirit鈥檚 work, to dwell in his presence daily and to receive His unfailing strength and guidance. Indeed, it is precisely when we feel tired, unmotivated or confused that we should remember to have recourse to the Holy Spirit in prayer.鈥�

Prayer, said the Pope, plays an important role in the missionary life, since it 鈥渁llows us to be refreshed and strengthened by the Spirit as the inexhaustible divine source of renewed energy and joy in sharing Christ鈥檚 life with others.鈥�

Notable missionary anniversaries

Pope Francis then said that 2022 sees several notable anniversaries in the Church鈥檚 missionary spirit.

The first is the 400th anniversary since the establishment of the Sacred Congregation De Propaganda Fide, now the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

This year also marks the 200th anniversary of the foundation of Society for the Propagation of the Faith by a young French woman, Pauline Jaricot, who will be beatified in 2022.

Pope St. Paul VI granted the Society the status of 鈥淧ontifical鈥� 100 years ago, along with the Association of the Holy Childhood and the Society of Saint Peter the Apostle.

Pope Francis prayed that the local Churches will 鈥渇ind in these Societies a sure means for fostering the missionary spirit among the People of God.鈥�

New era of Christian mission

In conclusion, the Pope expressed his dream to see a 鈥渃ompletely missionary Church, and a new era of missionary activity among Christian communities.鈥�

鈥淲ould that all of us in the Church were what we already are by virtue of baptism: prophets, witnesses, missionaries of the Lord, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the ends of the earth! Mary, Queen of the Missions, pray for us!鈥�

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