WORD FOR MISSION
Reflection on mission and
on Sunday Liturgy

GO.... TO ALL NATIONS:

witnesses to the furthest ends of the earth

VII Sunday of Easter or the Ascension of the Lord.

Year “A” - Sunday 08 May 2005

Acts  1:1-11                     Psalm 46 Ephesians 1: 17-23 Mathew 28:16-20

Reflection

The Bible texts of today's Soelmnity present the Ascension of Jesus to Heaven as a glorious manifestation of God (Reading I, vv.9-11: the cloud common in theophanies, the men in white clothing, four references to heaven in just two verses and the promise of a future return...); and as the epilogue to a difficult and paradoxical, but successful, undertaking (Reading II, vv.20-22: Jesus seated at the right hand of God in heaven, above all authority and power, made the ruler of everything and head of the Church). The final events of the life oof Jesus on earth give meaning to and shed light on the tribulations that have gone before. "That is why John writes of being raised up , and therefore of the ascension of Jesus on the same day as his death on the cross: death-resurrection-ascension make up a single Christian Paschal mystery, which sees human history and cosmic being restored  in God. Even the forty days that are recalled in Acts 1:2-3 bring to mind a perfect and definitive period, and are certainly not to be seen as a chronological datum". (G. Ravasi).

The completeness of the paschal event of Jesus lies at the root of the joyful hope of the Church and of the "serene trust" of the faithful to be one day "in the same glory" of Christ (Preface). This lies at the root of the undertaking of the Apostles and of the optimimism that drives the missionaries of the Gospel, in the certainty of being bearers of a message and of an experience of a successful life (thanks to the Resurrection). Above all, totally successful in Christ, but also, even though still partially, successful in the life of the evangelist.

Motivati interiormente da tale positiva esperienza di vita nuova in Cristo, gli Apostoli – e i missionari di tutti i tempi – ne diventano “testimoni a Gerusalemme, in tutta la Giudea e la Samarìa e fino agli estremi confini della terra” (At 1,8), in un percorso che si apre progressivamente dal centro (Gerusalemme) verso una periferia vasta come il mondo intero. È questo infatti – tutto il mondo! – il campo di lavoro della Chiesa missionaria al quale Gesù manda i suoi prima di salire al cielo (Vangelo). Li manda in forza di una pienezza di potere (v. 18) che Gli compete come Figlio di Dio e come Kurios (Signore) glorificato: ‘Andate, dunque, e ammaestrate tutte le nazioni, battezzate, insegnate…’ (cf. v. 19-20).

Quel dunque (in gr. e lat:. oun, ergo) ha un valore consequenziale irrinunciabile: indica la radice e la continuità della missione universale, che nasce dalla Santa Trinità e si prolunga nel tempo e nello spazio attraverso la Chiesa, inviata a tutti i popoli, rassicurata dalla presenza perenne del suo Signore: “Io sono con voi tutti i giorni” (v. 20). Per Matteo Gesù non si allontana dai suoi; cambia soltanto il modo di presenza; resta con loro: Egli è sempre l’Emmanuele (Dio con noi) annunciato fin dall’inizio (cf. Mt 1,23).

I verbi dell’invio in missione mantengono la loro perenne attualità. ‘Andare’indica il dinamismo e il coraggio per immergersi nelle sempre nuove situazioni del mondo; ‘ammaestrare’ vuol dire ‘fare discepoli’ fra tutte le etnie, farle seguaci non tanto di una dottrina, ma di una Persona; ‘battezzare’ segnala il sacramento che inserisce e trasforma le persone nella vita trinitaria; ‘insegnare a osservare’ richiama la risposta dei discepoli alla voce del Maestro e Pastore. Egli ha compiuto l’opera della salvezza a favore di tutti i popoli; ora chiama altri discepoli a continuare la sua stessa missione. *

The Pope's words

*  “It is really so: the purpose of our lives is o reveal God to people. And only where God is seen does life truly begin. Only when we encounter the living God in Christ that we know what life is... There is nothing more wonderful than to be touched, surprised by the Gospel, by Christ. There is nothing more beautiful than to know Him and to communicate o others our friendship with Him. The task of the pastor, of the fisher of men, may often seem wearisome. But it is wonderful and great, because in reality it is a service to joy, to the God's joy that yearns to make its entry into the world.”

Benedict XVI

Homily at the inaugural Mass in St. Peter's Square, 24 aprile 2005.

In the footsteps of Missionaries

- 8/5: World Day of Social Communications. The theme is:  “Means of social communications at the service of understanding among peoples.”.

- 8/5: Bl. Maria Caterina of St Augustine Symon of Longprey (+1668), Nursing Sisters of Mercy, dedicated to the care of the sick in Quebec (Canada).

- 9/5: From May 9-16 there is a World Ecumenical Conference in Athens (Greece) on "Mission and Evangelisation" with the theme 'Come, Holy Spirit, heal and reconcile!”.

- 10/5: Bl. John Merz (1928), a Croatian layman and humanis, engaged in social living..

- 11/5: Fr. Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), an Italian Jesuit priest who lived, worked and died in Peking, and is buried there. He was the missionary pioneer of a new Christian presence in China.

- 13/5: Anniversary or the Apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima (1917).

- 14/5: St. Matthias, Apostle, chosen by the Spirit to make up the number of Twelve.

- 14/5: Bl. Theodora (Anna Teresa) Guérin (1798-1856), a French nun belonging to the Sisters of Divine Providence, missionary in  Indianapolis (USA).

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A cura di: P. Romeo  Ballan, mcci – Direttore del CIAM, Roma – Sito Web:   www.ciam.org   “Parola per la Missione”