Today's Sunday in the Catholic Church is known as World Mission Day, which reminders us to reflect deeply on missions and how we understand our responsibility towards them. Usually, when we think of missions, we imagine distant countries, exotic cultures and people who do not know the Gospel. However, today's day reminds us that missions are not only about "others" - people from the so-called third world. Missions are something that each of us should practice here and now, in our daily lives, in our environment, in our home.
Missions begin in the heart of each of us. Jesus said: “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mk 16:15), but this “world” does not have to be geographically far away. Our world is our families, neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools – these are people we meet every day.
Isn't it the case that often closer to us, in our own parish, among our relatives, friends and colleagues, there are people who distance themselves from God? Don't we see people around us who need a testimony of love, support, understanding? They are our first "addresses" of the mission.
Today, the mission of the Church is more than a trip to the other side of the world. It is a mission of witnessing love, openness, reconciliation - and above all where we live every day. Maybe there are people in our homes who need our presence, our forgiveness, our example of living by faith? Maybe in the workplace we can share a good word, support, sometimes a simple smile with someone who feels lost? Maybe our parish needs our commitment, our help in building a community?
Today's world is often plunged into chaos, fear, division. All the more he needs the Gospel – the Good News about God's love, which brings peace and hope. We, as Catholics, are sent to be missionaries in this world. It doesn't always require great gestures. Sometimes it is enough to be a presence, a witness of life, faithfulness to the Gospel in everyday, small things.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, may today be our World Mission Day an opportunity to rediscover our vocation to be a missionary. Let's start with ourselves, with our home, our work, our parish. The mission begins where we are. Let us ask the Lord to give us the strength and courage to carry His love wherever He sends us.
May our everyday life become a space of mission, where we will bear witness to Christ, bringing peace, love and hope to those who need it most.
Fr. Marius
