Isaiah 2:1-5 / Ephesians 3:1-12 / Mark 16:15-20
Whenever we talk about mission and spreading the gospel several ideas might come to our minds.
We may think of the missionaries who go to other countries like China, Cambodia, and Laos, to build up the churches there.
We may also think that missionaries are usually priests or religious or some specially chosen lay people because speaking the Gospel is a serious thing and not everyone can do it.
We may also think that our task is to pray for these missionaries and also to give them some financial support.
Today’s celebration of Mission Sunday reminds us that we have an important role in the spreading of the gospel.
Let me tell you this story so that we can have a deeper understanding of our role and mission.
An old man was going around planting small fruit trees.
Some asked him when these trees would bear fruit.
He replied: Oh, probably many years after I am gone from this earth.
So then, why plant trees when he won’t be around to enjoy the fruits?
His reply was this: When I came into this world, I didn’t find this world without any fruit trees.
I enjoyed the fruits. Now I plant these fruit trees for those who will come after me, just as those who have done before me.
These are very profound words of the old man – I plant these fruit trees for those who will come after me, just as those who have done before me.
When we reflect upon the words of the old man, we will also come to a deeper understanding of our faith and mission.
We will come to see that the faith we have had been built upon and handed down to us by the earlier generation of believers.
What we have received, we too must build it up and hand it over to the next generation.
That is not just the work of missionaries, priests, religious and a selected few parishioners.
Each of us has a task in the spreading of the gospel.
Just as trees bear fruit and gives us shade, so is each one of us called to plant trees of faith that bear fruits of truth and love.
Trees are important not just because they bear fruit and provide shade and beauty.
Trees have an ecological importance. A world without trees is like a dry desert wasteland.
Similarly, faith is important for the world. This world needs God and needs to know His truth and love.
A world without God and His truth and love becomes a dark and dangerous world.
So, Mission Sunday reminds each of us that we have a task and a responsibility.
We have to continue planting trees of faith that will bear fruits of truth and love.
And we have to start planting these trees of faith in our homes, in our parish, in our workplace, in our own country.
This world needs to know God. This world needs to know His truth and love.
And we are the ones to show it. We are God’s messengers.
As the 1st reading puts it: All the nations will say – come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that He may teach us His ways so that we may walk in His path.
Our task and mission is to plant trees of faith along that path so that as people walk towards the Lord, they will also see the fruits of His truth and love.