蜜桃交友

By Pope

In 1926, Pope Pius XI decided the Church needed a special day on which to pray for missionaries, and to renew her commitment to the missions. Today, World Mission Day is celebrated on the penultimate Sunday in October, all around the globe, as a sign of support and solidarity for missions and missionaries everywhere. 

A noun, a verb and an adjective

In his homily during Mass for World Mission Day, Pope Francis chose to reflect on three words taken from this Sunday鈥檚 readings: 鈥渁 noun, a verb and an adjective鈥�. The noun he selected is 鈥渢he mountain鈥�. It appears in the first reading from Isaiah, and again in the Gospel, 鈥渨hen Jesus, after His resurrection, tells His disciples to meet Him on the mount of Galilee鈥�. It seems, said Pope Francis, 鈥渢hat the mountain is God鈥檚 favourite place for encountering humanity鈥�.

The Pope recalled other mountains in the Scriptures: Mount Sinai and Mount Carmel, Jesus鈥� Sermon on the Mount, His transfiguration on Mount Tabor, His crucifixion on Mount Calvary, and His ascension into heaven from the Mount of Olives. 鈥淭he mountain is also the place where Jesus spent several hours in prayer to unite heaven and earth鈥�, said the Pope, 鈥渁nd to unite us, His brothers and sisters, with the Father鈥�.

The noun: 鈥渕ountain鈥�

The mountain tells us we are called 鈥渢o draw near to God and to others鈥�, continued Pope Francis, 鈥渋n silence and in prayer, avoiding the rumours and gossip that diminish us鈥�. We see things in a different perspective from the mountain, he continued: 鈥淭he mountain unites God and our brothers and sisters in a single embrace of prayer鈥�. It draws us up and away from transient things, and summons us to rediscover what is essential and lasting: God and our brothers and sisters鈥�.

鈥淢ission begins on the mountain鈥�, affirmed Pope Francis, 鈥渢here we discover what really counts鈥�. Which prompts the question: what really does count in my life? 鈥淭o what peaks do I want to ascend?鈥�, he asked.

The verb: 鈥渢o go up鈥�

Pope Francis continued his reflection identifying the word that accompanies the noun 鈥渕ountain鈥�: the verb 鈥渢o go up鈥�. We were not born to remain on the ground, said the Pope, 鈥渨e were born to reach the heights and there to meet God and our brothers and sisters鈥�. This means we have 鈥渢o go up鈥�, he said, 鈥渢o resist the force of gravity caused by our self-centredness鈥�. Going up takes effort, he added, 鈥渂ut it is the only way to get a better view of everything鈥�, as any mountain-climber knows.

The Pope developed the metaphor of mountain climbing, saying we cannot risk being weighed down, 鈥渟o in life we must rid ourselves of things that are useless鈥�.  This, he said, 鈥渋s also the secret of mission: to go, you have to leave something behind, to proclaim, you must first renounce鈥�.  A credible proclamation, said Pope Francis, is accompanied by an exemplary life: 鈥渁 life of service that is capable of rejecting all those material things that shrink the heart and make people indifferent and inward-looking鈥�. Again, the Pope asked a question: what efforts are we making 鈥渢o go up鈥�? Are we able to reject the 鈥渦seless baggage of worldliness in order to climb the mountain of the Lord鈥�?

The adjective: 鈥渁ll鈥�

鈥淭he mountain reminds us of what matters鈥�, said Pope Francis. The verb 鈥渢o go up tells us how to get there鈥�. But there is a third, even more important, word: the adjective 鈥渁ll鈥�.

鈥淎ll鈥� reappears constantly in this Sunday鈥檚 readings: Isaiah speaks of 鈥渁ll peoples鈥�, which is repeated in the Psalm; God desires 鈥渁ll to be saved鈥�, writes Saint Paul; 鈥淕o and make disciples of all nations鈥�, says Jesus in the Gospel. 鈥淭he Lord knows we are always using the words 鈥榤y鈥� and 鈥榦ur鈥欌��, explained Pope Francis, but He uses the word 鈥渁ll鈥�: because 鈥渘o one is excluded from His heart; because everyone is a precious treasure, and the meaning of life is found only in giving this treasure to others鈥�. This is our mission, said the Pope: 鈥渢o go up the mountain to pray for everyone and to come down from the mountain to be a gift to all鈥�.

鈥淭he Christian is always on the move鈥�, always 鈥渙utward-bound鈥�, said the Pope.  鈥淓veryone expects things from others, but the Christian goes to others鈥�, he said. 鈥淭hose who bear witness to Jesus go out to all鈥�, he added, 鈥渘ot just to their own acquaintances or their little group鈥�.  

Instructions for mission

Pope Francis reminded us of the instructions the Lord gives us 鈥渇or going forth to others鈥�. There is only one, and it is very simple, he said: 鈥渕ake disciples鈥�, not our own, but 鈥淗is disciples鈥�.  A disciple 鈥渇ollows the Master daily and shares the joy of discipleship with others. Not by conquering, mandating, proselytizing, but by witnessing鈥�, said Pope Francis.

Our mission is 鈥渢o give pure and fresh air to those immersed in the pollution of our world鈥�, said the Pope. Our mission is 鈥渢o witness, bless, console, raise up, and radiate the beauty of Jesus鈥�.

鈥淵our life is a precious mission鈥�, concluded Pope Francis, 鈥渋t is not a burden to be borne, but a gift to offer. So, have courage! Let us fearlessly go forth to all!鈥�