WORD FOR MISSION
Missionary reflection  on Sunday Liturgy

FROM COMPASSION TO MISSION

XI Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year “A” - Sunday 12.06.2005

Exodus 19:2-6                        Psalm 99 Romans  5:6-11 Matthew  9:36 – 10:8

Reflections

The dozen or so verses of today's Gospel give an overall view of the mission of Jesus and the mission of the Disciples; in them we find practically all the elements of the mission of the Church throughout history. The picture is even more complete if we add in the verse from Matthew: 9:35 which presents Jesus as an itinerant missionary: he "made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and all kinds of illness." Jesus is truly the ideal, the original model of any missionary: close to the people, on the move, master, preacher, healer, reaching out for God whose Kingdom he is proclaiming, passionately concerned for the good of the people, above all those who are suffering.

Jesus never passes close to human suffering without feeling the pain intimately himself, or without providing a remedy, a solution. The crowds "were tired and weary, like sheep without a shepherd", and He "felt sorry for them" (9:36) The word is compassion: much more than just a feeling. The literal translation would be 'He felt a total movement of his insides for them'. In fact, the Greek verb at the root of the expression (esplanknisthe) makes the reality clear: it is like the feelings of a mother in the tremendous movement of giving birth; and thus it opens a window for the discovery of the maternal face of God. The mission of Jesus, and so the mission of the Church, is rooted deep in the tenderness and compassion of God for humanity: "through the loving kindness of the heart of our God’ (Lk.1:78). For the Council (Vatican II)  the salvation-missionary project pours out from the spring of love, that is, from the love of God (cf.AG,2). Love and mission are two words that go together, indivisible. *

The Christian who looks at the world -  as Jesus does -  with eyes and heart full of love, discovers immense human situations that need mission; that is, they need to be illuminated and healed by the Gospel. So that all may have life, in abundance! Therefore it is already a good missionary beginning to become aware that, here and in the whole world, "the harvest is great but the labourers are few" (9:37). Jesus points out to us two basic responses to the urgency of mission: to pray and to go. First of all, pray to the Lord of the harvest for a good number of good quality workers in the vineyard, because He is the Lord of the Kingdom. But set out too: Jesus calls to Himself the first group, that of the Twelve: he calls them by name, gives them power to cure sickness, cast out devils and work other signs. He sends them (10:5) two by two (small communities), and they set out on a mission of trial or testing, limited in time and space: for the moment those who receive the message are "the lost sheep of the house of Israel (M.10:6). After the Resurrection and with the power of the Spirit, Jesus will send them definitively to the whole world: "Go then and teach all nations" (Mt.28:19).

The message to be taken regards the Kingdom of God which is at hand (Mt.10:7); for this reason it is necessary to be converted and believe in the Gospel (cf. Mk.1:15 and the Gospel versicle). The Gospel is not a document or a codex; it is,  first and foremost, a Person: Jesus, who died for us while we were still sinners (Rm.5:8), offering us salvation and reconciliation (Second Reading). Thus we know how great the love of God is for His people, as he had shown in the Old testament (First reading), by freeing the Israelites from the slavery of Egypt; indeed, raising them up on eagle's wings (v.4) and making of the a holy nation, and preferring them to other peoples.

The missionary who has experienced how great and how freely given is God's love, can only feel called to share it freely with those who do not yet know Him or do not love Him. Mission is born and carried out in Love.

The words of the Pope

*  “The Church feels with renewed intensity that Christ's missionary mandate is more timely than ever. The Great jubilee of the year 2000 led her to 'set out anew from Christ', contemplated in prayer, so that the light of his truth might shine on all men and women, primarily through the witness of holiness."

Benedict XVI

Homily during his visit to the Roman Basilica of St Paul outside the Walls, 25 April 2005.

In the steps of Missionaries

- 12/6: Bl. Mercede Maria of Jesus Molina (1828-1883), an Ecuadorian nun, a missionary among the jibaros people, and a Foundress. She died at Riobamba

- 13/6: St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231), a Franciscan priest, Doctor of the Church, and a very effective evangeliser in France and Italy.

- 15/6: Bl. Luigi Maria Palazzolo (1827-1886), a preacher of parish missions, founder of the  "Poor Sisters" (Suore Poverelle) for education, assistance and mission.

- 16/6: Bl. Maria Teresa Scherer (1825-1888), a Swiss nun. She co-founded the Sisters of Charity of the Holy Cross, who enjoyed a rapid growth and expansion..

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Editor: Fr. Romeo  Ballan, mcci – Director of CIAM, Rome – Website:   www.ciam.org   “Parola per la Missione”