October, the Month of Missions, is Over… Now What?

As October ends and November begins, we find ourselves in a season filled with activities encouraging us to be missionary-disciples of the Lord Jesus. Yet, a question arises… does the end of October also mark the end of our enthusiasm for mission? Will parishes and apostolic groups forget the missionary vocation to which we are all called?

We often recall the biblical passage on the missionary mandate: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:18-19). And sometimes, we overlook the next verse: “and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20).

This last part calls us to a mission without end, until the end of time. Jesus sends us as missionary-disciples to carry out an ongoing mission: to proclaim the Kingdom of God to the ends of the Earth, to baptize, and to teach his message, until He returns. Not until we grow tired, let alone when things go well.

The mission began with Jesus and His Church, bringing the Good News, the Message of Salvation, to everyone, without exception. From our baptism, that same mission belongs to each of us... Until when? Until He returns, until the end of history.

Pope Benedict XVI reminded us of this: “The Church is constituted by faith in the mystery of God, who has revealed Himself in Christ to bring us salvation, and by the mission of bearing witness to Him and announcing Him to the world, until He returns.” (Message for World Mission Sunday 2012).

Aware that this task only ends with the Coming of Christ, let us also remember the words of Pope Saint Paul VI: « Let us therefore preserve our fervor of spirit. Let us preserve the delightful and comforting joy of evangelizing, even when it is in tears that we must sow. » (Evangelii Nuntiandi 80).

Take courage! Christ lives! And He calls us to be tireless and joyful missionary-disciples until He returns.