These two words summarize Pope Francis' idea of mission. With these words, baptized and sent, he has called for next October, an Extraordinary Missionary Month for the whole Church.
Does it make sense at this point in life to dedicate an extraordinary month to the mission? St. John Paul II went so far as to affirm that after so many years of evangelization, the missionary task is in its infancy, and Francis affirms that he wants to awaken the missionary conscience of the people of the world. missio ad gentes and to resume with new impetus the missionary transformation of the life of the Church.
Yes, it makes sense. We Christians hide behind phrases like "everyone is saved", o "who am I to impose my thinking on anyone?", o "also my people is mission land". He came to bring fire, the fire of God's love, to the earth and does not want it to burn, and we, as if we were firemen, do not cease to spoil the party. We Christians need a revolt..., a revolt of missionary and apostolic yearnings. Therefore, how good it will be for us to remember that with baptism we also receive a sending forth! "Go into all the world and preach the gospel."
One day we received the sacrament of baptism, through which God made us new creatures... and entrusted us with the precious task of making his love and peace reach all people. It is true that it is more comfortable to wait for others to do it. It is praiseworthy to pray and rejoice for those who do, but that is not what God wants: all of us, each according to the vocation we have received, are apostles and witnesses of Christ in the world.
"Missionary activity still represents today the greatest challenge for the Church, and the missionary cause must come first." With these words the Pope convoked this Extraordinary Missionary Month. May this month serve to strengthen our apostolic zeal.
