29th Sunday-Mission Sunday

MISSION SUNDAY.... 

Good evening/morning every one. Welcome to celebrate today's Holy Mass. Today the Holy Catholic Church celebrates 'Mission Sunday'.  

Last week after pet animal blessing, someone asked, "Will dogs go to heaven?" I said, "Not only dogs, so are the fleas". Last Wednesday, I had a chance to meet with other church ministers and when I introduced myself to them saying, "I am from the best church in town". 

Once a missionary went to a distant land to preach the Good News of Christ our Lord and while he was walking with the guide, he asked about the people, culture, food and so on. Then he looked at the guide and said, "what about cannibals. Do you have cannibals in your village?" The guide laughed and laughed and said, "Oh father, we don't have any cannibal because we ate the last one yesterday" 

Today the Holy Catholic Church celebrates 'Mission Sunday'. This day, we are called in a special way to pray for all missionary priests and people who dedicate their lives to promote justice and peace and who preach the Good News of Christ our Lord and who sacrifice their time, energy and resources for the welfare of others.  

We are by the very nature of the sacrament of Baptism are called to become missionaries at home and abroad. 

There is a non-canonical story of our Lord Jesus Christ that after His ascension, the angels met with Him and looking at his pierced hands and feet said, "You suffered a lot to bring love and forgiveness among people. Lord, who is going to continue to mission of love and forgiveness now? My apostles and disciples will go everywhere to preach the Good News and what would happen after their death? Do you have any other plan? Christ said, "Yes, my people who were baptized in my name will go out and preach the love and forgiveness of God everywhere". Yes, we are His plan. And we are called to continue His mission of love and forgiveness. 

In the Old Testament time, people did not go out to preach the message of God. They spread the message of God within the community but in the New Testament time, we are called to go out and preach the Good News everywhere.  

There is a story about St. Mother Teresa who once went to a very rich Hindu man and stretched out her hand and said, "Give me something for the poor. And the rich man spat in her hand. Mother Teresa was not mad or angry, instead she smiled at him and said, "This is for me and stretching out her another hand and said, "Now give me something for the poor". The rich man was so inspired by her action and then he himself became a follower of Christ our Lord.  

By the very way of life, we are asked to inspire others and bring them to God almighty. 

Once a man went to a spiritual master and said, "Master, I'd like to become a missionary and go to distant land to preach the Good News of Christ our Lord and thus he offered the master two gold-coins. The master not saying anything took one of the gold coins and threw it in the river. The man right away jumped in the water and was looking for it. When he could not find it, asked the master, "where did you throw my coin?" For that the master took the other coin threw it in the water and said, "right there..." Then he called the man and said, "Son, if you want to become a missionary, you should know how to unbind yourself from material things and hold on to Christ the only way".  

Every time Christ our Lord sent His apostles to preach the good news, He clearly told them not to take anything with them. As we go to talk to someone about Christ, the Bible or the rosary, we should know how to carry Christ with us. Yes, Christ alone is our strength and courage.  

In today's gospel, as the Pharisees asked saying, "Teacher, is it lawful to pay taxes to emperor or not?" Christ then taking the coin and looking at it says, "whose head is this and whose title is this. Give it to Ceasar, what belongs to Caesar and give it to God what belongs to God. What belongs to God. We belong to God and we should give ourselves to Him and thus continue the mission of preaching His love and kindness to all.  

Today there are so many priests, nuns and lay people are going to different countries to preach the good news of Christ. They build schools, hospitals, nursing homes and so on. By their way of life, they inspire many. Once St. Francis of Assisi said, "Preach the Good news and if it is necessary, use words". St. Paul went not thirty thousand kilometers but thirty thousand miles to preach the Good News. And we do not need to go to distant land to preach the good news and become missionaries, all we have to do is pray and support the missionaries and also become missionaries of Christ for those who are at home not experiencing the love of Christ our Lord. Yes, the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. Amen.