Ex 22:20-26/ 1 Th 1:5c-10/ Mt 22:34-40
This Sunday is called World Mission Sunday, and the readings of this Sunday are also changed from the flow of the readings of the Ordinary Sundays.
It is a Sunday of the year in which we the Church reflects about who we are and what we should be doing as Church, in other words, our mission as Church.
In the gospel, Jesus states what our mission is about.
He said : Go out to the whole world, and proclaim the Good News.
Yes, proclaim the Good News. So what is this Good News?
Well, before going into that, it might be helpful to know that there is this strange connection between good news and bad news.
So what is this connection? A typical example would be this.
The news caster would always begin by greeting us “Good evening” and then proceed to tell us why the evening is not going to be good.
In other words, its “Good evening” and here is the bad news. It is a strange connection between two opposites.
Yes, it might be a strange connection between two opposites, but nonetheless a common connection.
Quite often, by the way we speak, we can already notice this connection.
For example, we may seem to agree initially, and then we proceed to disagree.
And we do that by using just two words – Yes, but …
So we would say things like : Yes, the food is good, BUT, the service is bad, it is too expensive, the waitress is not pretty, and whatever it might be.
So it’s like “Good evening” BUT here is the bad news.
It’s like something sweet on the outside, but bitter on the inside.
Yet, World Mission Sunday reminds us of the duty to spread the gospel, the Good News.
Simply because if the Good News is not proclaimed, then the bad news will start to multiply.
Yes, we have heard it so often that actions speak louder than words.
Yet actions without words is like watching a movie without the sound.
Words put meaning into actions, and words put action into motion.
So we the Church are like the news casters to the world.
And are we going to say to others : Good evening, and here is the bad news.
And out of our mouths come forth bad words, foul talk, lies and slander.
The letter of James (1:26) reminds us that if a man thinks he is religious and serves God, but has not learnt to control his tongue, then he is deceiving himself, and his religion is worthless.
The tongue that is used to bless cannot be used also to curse.
Hence the letter to the Ephesians (4:29) tells us not to use harmful and hurtful words, but only helpful words, the kind that builds up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear it.
The Pope’s message for World Mission Sunday reminds us that today is not just an isolated moment or just a day in the course of the year.
Rather it is a precious occasion to pause and reflect on how we respond to the missionary vocation.
And it is a critical response to the massive bad news that is all around us.
Bad news like wars, or killings, or murders, and also shocking pictures of the blood stained face of the dead former Libyan dictator splashed on the front page of the newspaper.
Our common response would be : Oh my God! (OMG)
Oh my God … then what?
It is like calling on God, and God is alerted, and then He hears nothing else from us.
So when we say “Oh my God”, then we must also finish the sentence, and offer it as a prayer.
So whenever we say “Oh my God”, then finish the sentence, and make sure it’s a prayer.
Don’t say things like “Oh my God, how can he be so stupid?” or worse still, “Oh my God, I’m going to teach him a lesson he won’t forget.
If that is what we are going to say, then our tongues either have a split personality, or that we have split tongues.
But we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, so that we may praise Him (1 Pet 2:9)
Yes, we are called to be God’s news casters who will say : Good evening, and here is the good news.
Yes, we must be Good News to the world, and we must also teach our children to be Good News too.
One of the activities on World Mission Sunday is to pray for the poor children of the world, and to help them financially.
Next week, the children in the catechism classes will be donating their savings from the sacrifices they are going to make this coming week, to help the poor children of the Holy Childhood Association.
But besides financial help, let us also lead our children to pray for those poor children.
One of the ways is to pray daily, one Hail Mary, and adding on the intention “pray for us and for the poor children”.
Just only one Hail Mary daily with our children and with that intention.
But the power of prayer and sacrifice will surely make people hammer their swords into ploughshares and their spear into pruning hooks.
And nation will not lift sword against nation.
That is the good news that the world wants to hear.
That is the good news that we the Church must proclaim.