by Dcn. Bob Bonomi World Missions Sunday
What is your Mission in life? Do you know? Do you think that the Apostles understood their mission?
I’ve always wondered: what in the world were James and John thinking? In the verses in both Matthew and Mark immediately before this, Jesus has taken the Twelve aside from the rest of the disciples and told them plainly that not only was He going to die, but it would be a horrible death, one at the hand of the Gentiles. He said:
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death, but after three days he will rise.”
In fact, this is the third time He tells them of His upcoming Passion and death.
And yet, I don’t think there was ever a greater misconception of what it meant to be a disciple from the Apostles than what was indicated by the story we hear today. It begins with James and John coming to Jesus and asking for seats of prestige when he comes into His glory. (I find it particularly amusing that in Matthew’s version, it is Mom that asks for them. A good Jewish mother, looking out for her ya-lah-DEEM – her children.) I wonder if they (or Mom) would have asked the same question if they had known in advance that the two who would sit at Jesus’ right and left would be convicted criminals sentenced to death, or that His glory would begin with Jesus looking down from His throne on the Cross?
And it isn’t just James and John. It says the other ten became indignant when they heard the brothers’ request. Now, granted, they’ve all seen the powerful signs that Jesus has performed and have even participated in miraculous events themselves, but are they really that clueless as to what Jesus has been telling them? I wonder.
Actually, I suppose we shouldn’t be that surprised. After all, aren’t we often a bit clueless as to the price of discipleship in our own lives? We all know, or should know, that we have a common goal in life – eternity with Jesus in Heaven. But when it comes to getting there and our individual vocations – our individual missions – things sort of break down for us.
Which brings us to today – World Mission Sunday. What is World Mission Sunday? It is a day of prayer for missionary work around the world, established by Pope Pius XI in 1926 and, as Pope St. John Paul II said on the occasion of its anniversary in 1992, is a day to make a “renewed commitment to everyone’s responsibility for the spread of the Gospel message. It is a day set aside for Catholics worldwide to reflect on their own baptismal call, to think back on when they received the gift of faith, and to recommit themselves to the Church's missionary activity through prayer and sacrifice."
But it isn’t easy being a missionary, is it? James and John – indeed all of the Apostles – seemed more than willing to take leadership roles when they thought that they were going to be part of a new order that would be one of earthly glory and honor, and they wanted to be right there in the thick of it, when Jesus came into glory, one on his right, and the other on his left.
But it is one thing to proclaim the good news as a leader. It’s something quite different to do so as a servant, as a “slave to all”.
Jesus challenges them: “Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” In other words, will you be missionaries like me? They answered YES, but without fully understanding what it was going to mean. For when the glory of Jesus was revealed when he was lifted up on the cross, and the place of “honor” on his left and right was taken by the two criminals, the Apostles all fled.
Yet once it became clear after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension that His mission had to be carried on, Jesus’ disciples did not shrink from it. They embraced it, and the result was a world set on fire with the faith of Christ.
As Christians we too should be ready to drink the cup of sacrifice that Jesus drank on our behalf. And that sacrifice isn’t just in putting up with the crosses we carry, as heavy as they may be, but to be ready and willing to help others bear their crosses too. And to do so with love.
Too often though, when we think of mission, we think of trips filled with social service projects ministering to those less fortunate. But I was reminded by a podcast yesterday called Homeless but Human from Christ in the City that our true mission from Jesus is to bring the Good News to those who need to hear it. And in doing so, we may discover that it is those we encounter that actually minister to us. Father Tymo pointed out to me last week that those we encounter, especially the young but also any who are in need, that what they need most is to be accepted for who they are, to be recognized as human, and to be listened to. And that is true for all of us as well.
Pope Francis once said on a previous World Mission Sunday, that, “Both before and after his resurrection, Jesus told his disciples, “Go!”, thus involving them in his own mission. The Church, for her part, in fidelity to the mission she has received from the Lord, will continue to go to the ends of the earth, to set out over and over again, without ever growing weary or losing heart in the face of difficulties and obstacles.” It is good for us to remember that even when we cannot go out among the people, we can still fill our baptismal call by assisting the Church in its missionary efforts through our financial contributions and, most importantly, through our prayers.
As we leave Mass today, let us embrace our mission to proclaim the Good News! Let us Go and Announce the Gospel of Our Lord!
