Novena for the Centennial - Day 4

Since 1921, the Quebec Foreign Mission Society is at the service of the Gospel.  We are celebrating 100 years; we wish to celebrate together the journey of our missionary commitment. We are celebrating the dynamism of our missionary Society, and with gratitude, we remember our past, we renew the passion of living the mission in communion in our historic present, and we rekindle the hope for the future.
 
This novena is meant for the members and associates, former members and associates, candidates and seminarians in formation, affiliates, friends, members of our Churches and/or local communities, the youth who belong to our networks, and the persons of good will who wish to join us in our thanksgivings to God for the dynamism and the renewal of our missionary Society. 

 Bible reading for reflection Mt 28.19
 
  "Go! Make disciples of all nations". 
 
Prayer of thanksgiving:
  Oh God, we give you thanks for the dioceses, the Churches and the projects that welcome us today and share with us in the evangelizing task entrusted to the Church.  

Jesus has confided in us a task and we can summarize it with a few verbs: to reach, to teach, to share, to help, to accompany. These are means to multiply his Kingdom of love, especially in these times that we are living.
To reach those who are far or feel they are far away, to teach that another world is possible, to share that Good News that invited us to leave for the mission, to help those who approach us and to accompany those whom we meet on the way. 

Commitment: Choose on of the verbs mentioned above and apply it to any specific action towards someone today. You can add your intentions in the comments. 

 

Prayer for the Centennial of the SME

God ever faithful,
“Whom shall I send?” - you ask us.
On this path, on the same boat,
where we all are,
we answer to you:
“Here we are, Lord, send us" (Is. 6,8)
 
Your Spirit pushes us and carries us,
encourages us and sends us to mission
to the world and to all peoples.
It is your endless love
the one that moves us
"to run the risk of the encounter
at the service of the Gospel".
 
In today's Church and history,
here we are, Lord, send us.
We are a small Missionary Society that,
humble and confronted with many challenges,
wants to be part of the transformation of hearts,
minds, bodies, societies and cultures,
at all times and in all places.
 
Here we are, Lord,
at the service of your Gospel,
to bear witness to your love
and your salvation,
attentive to the needs of bread and justice,
freedom and work, dignity and peace
of our brothers and sisters,
taking care of all your creation as well.
 
Here we are, Lord, send us,
to seed hope,
to build up a new world,
holding your word and discovering your presence
in all peoples and cultures.
 
Reaching out to their encounter,
we proclaim that you are
the ever-merciful God,
whose love last forever.
 
May, the Virgin Mary, first disciple and missionary,
pray for us, now and forever. Amen.