Called to Radiate the Word of Truth

Popes Message for the World Mission Day

Pope Benedict XVI, on January 6th, on the solemnity of the feast of the Epiphany, announced the theme for this year’s World Mission Day as ‘Called to Radiate the Word of Truth.’ He said, “This year the celebration of World Mission Day has a very special meaning. The 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Second Vatican Council and of the opening of the Year of Faith and of the Synod of Bishops on the theme of the New Evangelization contribute to reaffirming the Church's desire to engage with greater courage and zeal in the missio ad gentes so that the Gospel may reach the very ends of the earth.” Taking inspiration from the Holy Father’s message, here are some of the important aspects to live this theme in our day to day life. 

First of all, we need to recover the same apostolic zeal as that of the early Christian community because today the number of those awaiting Christ and His message is still immense, and therefore, we should not be content when we consider the millions of our brothers and sisters, who like us have been redeemed by the blood of Christ but who live in the ignorance of the love of God (Encyclical Redemtoris Missio). 

Secondly, we should bear in mind that proclaiming the Gospel of our Lord is not an optional contribution for the church instead it is the duty incumbent on us (the church) by the command of the Lord Jesus, so that people can believe and be saved. 

Therefore, the Holy father invites all of us pastors, men and women religious and all faithful in Christ to follow the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, who as ‘a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf you gentiles’ (Eph 3:1) worked, suffered and struggled to bring the Gospel among gentiles, sparing no energy, time or means to make the message Christ known. 

Dear friends, the most important requirement to be an effective missionary is a renewed adherence to person of Christ. In fact, one of the obstacles to the impetus of evangelization is the crisis of faith among most of the humanity, which, however is hungering and thirsting for God. Therefore, in order to bring them to the bread of life and the living water, we ourselves need to have an encounter with Christ as living person, who satisfies the thirst of our heart. Once this has happened, one cannot but will be led to the desire to share with others the joy of this presence and to make Him known, so that all may experience this joy. Therefore, let us begin to renew the enthusiasm of communicating the faith and promote new evangelization.