Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Missionary activity, today as always, requires courage. It is one thing to talk about it, but to live it is much more demanding. Being present in the world as it is today with its religious indifference and secularisation, where the most fundamental values such as love, justice, peace, equality, solidarity, brotherhood are non existent and the only things which count are power, money, success. Being in it with the power of the Gospel demands a good dose of courage, but nonetheless missionary activity is still relevant, not only because of Christ's specific mandate to evangelise all peoples, but because God loves the world and wishes it to be united with Him and to live His own Trinitarian life.
The Church therefore continues to be called to carry on God's work as a sacrament of God's presence for mankind. The community cannot be considered merely a people gathered by God, they are also the people whom God sends to proclaim Jesus Christ, good news for the world, light and hope amidst the questions the world poses to itself, new meaning, the key to the quest. The Church is not a club for the redeemed which exists for itself, she is open to others, always longing with missionary dynamism to witness that God who is its life.
This awareness drives her to set out, to respond to the call, overcoming any relativist mentality or difficulties of a practical nature, in order to proclaim Christ to all men and women and offer them the opportunity to accept Him.
This is why, still today, thousands of priests, men and women religious and lay people, filled with the Holy Spirit and love of neighbour, leave everything (homeland, family and friends, their “position”) and adventure into the marvellous calling to spread the Kingdom of God among all peoples and in every place. Their generosity is not always recognised or rewarded, indeed it is often opposed with all kinds of violence and tyranny. Not lacking either are cases of violent death: it suffices to think that every year n average of thirty priests, religious, laity and volunteer missionaries are killed while bearing witness to Christ at every latitude. But not even this prospect stops them, fired as they are by the charity of Christ and captivated by the missionary ideal which leads them to share their faith and love for Christ with all men and women. (12 - end) (Agenzia Fides 5/2/2008; righe 28, parole 415)
