Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 7:34
Mass: Zech 8:20-23; Resp Ps 87; Lk 9:51-56
God is with us.
THEY JOURNEYED TO ANOTHER VILLAGE.
It is no wonder that Pope Francis's prayer intention for October is about missionary spirit in the Church as we celebrate the Little Flower St Thérèse, co-patron of missions along with St Francis Xavier (celebrated December 3). These two great saints had very different missions themselves. After entering the Carmel at Lisiuex, the Little Flower never left; the Jesuit Francis Xavier was busy proclaiming the Gospel in India and Japan and then died in China! We all have different gifts given by the Holy Spirit, one this and another that. There are many ways to serve the Lord and spread the Gospel. What is important to remember as you will see in the following is that "the heart of the Church's mission is prayer". Wherever we find ourselves at home or abroad, we can pray. For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy (St Thérèse of Lisieux, CCC 2558).
Today, a new impulse to the Church's missionary activity is needed to face the challenge of proclaiming Jesus and his death and resurrection.
Reaching the peripheries-the human, cultural, and religious settings still foreign to the Gospel: this is what we call the "missio ad gentes".
We must also remember that the heart of the Church's mission is prayer.
In this Extraordinary Missionary Month, let us pray that the Holy Spirit may engender a new missionary "spring" for all those baptized and sent by Christ's Church.
SAINT THÉRÈSE OF THE CHILD JESUS,
SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER,
PRAY FOR US.
Jésus est mon unique amour-Jesus is my only love.
(St Thérèse of Lisieux, an etching in her cell)
Today's photo: Courtesy of my nephew. Lower Blue Lakes of Blue Lake Pass, Ouray, Colorado.
© Gertrude Feick 2019
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