Mission - Myanmar and China
There are countless people waiting for the proclamation of the Gospel, thirsting for hope and love. The task of evangelizing all peoples constitutes the mission of the Church. However “it is a mission that is only beginning” even after two thousand years.
WHY MISSION?
In this continuing series, Canossian Sr. Christine Santhou discusses the relevance of mission in today’s world with the Editor, Violet Rosario.
Q. The horizons and possibilities of missions are growing ever wider. To the oft-asked question “Why mission”, how can one explain the relevance of the word “mission” in today’s world.
The word 'mission' is especially relevant in today's increasingly networked and globalized world as rapid advances in technology and the internet allow us to be in constant contact with persons who could be strangers but who have not been touched by God's love because of the nature of their society or habitat. Our Christian mission in the words of our Foundress, St Magdalene of Canossa is "to make Jesus known and loved". Today, this our Christian mandate does not even require that we leave the 'comfort' of our homes. As such we have never been more 'responsible' for mission as we are in today's context.
Q. How can we spread the light of Christ, the “light par excellence” that illuminates the darkness of history among all peoples so as to transform society, eradicate spiritual and material poverty and illuminate all people with the Gospel of love and charity.
Basically, the love and light of Christ can only permeate the lives of others by our being responsible to our Christian mandate to become the hands, voice and feet of Christ.
Q. “All the laity are missionaries by baptism” (Redemptoris Missio, 71). How do we live this in our milieu… and to the ends of the world.
Our world is the society that we live in. As we bring the love of Christ to others, there will be ripple effects that make the world a better place.
Q. “Faith is strengthened when it is given to others” (Redemptoris Missio, 2). How can we bear witness to our faith and to the Christian life as a service to our brothers and sisters and as a fitting response to God.
Faith is a concrete action of believing that God is Emmanuel - 'with us', here and now. When we ACT with the knowledge that God is with us in the love and good that we bring to others without looking over our shoulders and expecting reciprocity [because it is God who gives and rewards a hundredfold] we become the presence of God.
Q. Missionary activity or “mission ad gentes” still represents the greatest challenge of the Church. What is our missionary mandate to the demands of a resurgence of the Church’s missionary activity.
"Mission ad gentes"... is the call to be available, to bring the love and life of God to anyone who needs to hear God's Word and be loved by God.
Q. “We cannot but speak” (Acts 4:20) as we are sent at the end of the Mass on a mission to “Go in the peace of Christ” - to be missionaries of that which we have received. With humanity on the move and in continual search, how can we renew our fervor, zeal and commitment for greater communion and dialogue, human development and authentic witnessing both by words and deeds.
How? Essentially by prayer, by Spiritual guidance, by listening to the teachings of the Church and to the needs of our society and mostly by praying for the Spirit of zeal and the authentic desire to bring the love of God to those who thirst for God.
Q. The Holy Father speaks of “a new evangelization aimed at helping younger generations to rediscover the true face of God, who is Love”. How can the youth become the ferment and leaven of a society enlivened by evangelical love in the new millennium.
By stepping out in faith and by allowing God to lead where God wants to lead them. Discipline and guidance is crucial for this because it is the root of discipleship.
And through dialogue with those who have walked the road of loving evangelization and by trusting that God is in all who genuinely desire to serve.
Q. The missionary must be a “contemplative in action” (Redemptoris Missio, 91). How can we help foster missionary spirituality for the growth of the Universal Church.
A missionary needs to trust God's ways and with that as the base, to know that all things work in God's hands even if from our human perspective it is not working well... ‘God has it all in control’. We need to believe and to let go even of our little 'wisdom' at times. God who changed the symbol of great evil, the cross into a symbol of victory and life can draw straight on crooked lines is something we need to keep in mind.
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Sister Christine Santhou maintains the website of the Canossian community in Singapore and regularly leaves short messages on her Facebook profile where she is accessible.