MISSION SUNDAY 2020
THIRTIETH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR.
OCTOBER 25, 2020
A JEWISH SCHOLAR ASKS JESUS AN HONEST QUESTION: “TEACHER WHAT COMMANDMENT IN THE LAW IS THE GREATEST?”
JESUS QUOTES FROM THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT: “LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.”
EVERY JEWISH CHILD COMMITS THIS VERSE TO MEMORY. EVERY JEWISH SERVICE STILL OPENS WITH THIS BASIC AND ESSENTIAL CREED OF JUDAISM. IN HEBREW THIS VERSE IS PART OF THE SHEMA: LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT WHICH JESUS QUOTES COMES FROM THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS:”YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” OUR LOVE FOR GOD MUST LEAD TO LOVE FOR OTHERS. THE LOVE OF MAN IS FIRMLY GROUNDED IN THE LOVE OF GOD.
IN ANSWER TO THE SCHOLAR’S QUESTION, JESUS LAID DOWN THE COMPLETE DEFINITION OF RELIGION.
TRUE RELIGION DEMANDS THAT WE LOVE WITH A SACRIFICIAL LOVE. TRUE RELIGION MUST BE A TOTAL COMMITMENT OF LIFE TO GOD. JESUS TOLD US: “NO GREATER LOVE HAS ANY MAN THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS”.
THE MARTYRS UNDERSTOOD THOSE WORDS OF JESUS. OUR SECULAR SOCIETY DOES NOT UNDERSTAND THE WORDS OF JESUS. OUR SECULAR SOCIETY DOES NOT LOOK UPON RELIGION AS A TOTAL COMMITMENT TO GOD. FOR MANY, RELIGION IS PERSONAL. ACCORDING TO THE SECULARIST RELIGION MUST NOT INFLUENCE YOUR CONSCIENCE AND YOUR PROFESSIONAL DECISIONS. RELIGION IS RESERVED TO SUNDAY OBSERVANCE.
FOR EXAMPLE, EVERY ONE KNOWS THAT JUSTICE AMY CONEY BARRETT IS A PRACTICING CATHOLIC. EVERY ONE KNOWS THAT THE JUSTICE TAKES HER RELIGION SERIOUSLY. EVERY ONE KNOWS THAT RELIGION, FOR JUSTICE BARRETT, IS TOTAL COMMITMENT OF HER LIFE TO GOD.
WHEN JUSTICE BARRETT WAS A NOMINEE FOR FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURT, A U. S. SENATOR SAID TO JUSTICE BARRETT THAT SHE WOULD NOT VOTE FOR HER BECAUSE SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT “THE DOGMA LIVES LOUDLY WITHIN YOU”. IN OTHER WORDS SHE SAID TO JUSTICE BARRETT: I WILL NOT VOTE FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU TAKE YOUR RELIGION TOO SERIOUSLY. SHE DARED TO JUDGE HOW INTENSELY ANOTHER HUMAN BEING SHOULD LOVE GOD.
IF A CATHOLIC FORMS HER CONSCIENCE AROUND JUDEO-CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES REGARDING MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THE SECULARIST SAYS YOU ARE NOT FIT FOR PUBLIC OFFICE BECAUSE “THE DOGMA LIVES LOUDLY WITHIN YOU.
IF A CATHOLIC FORMS HER CONSCIENCE AROUND JUDEO-CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES REGARDING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, SEX AND ABORTION THE SECULARIST SAYS YOU ARE NOT FIT FOR PUBLIC OFFICE BECAUSE THE DOGMA LIVES LOUDLY WITHIN YOU.
IF A CATHOLIC TAKES HER FAITH SERIOUSLY AND LOVES GOD AND HER CHURCH WITH A SACRIFICIAL LOVE THAT PERSON IS CONSIDERED NOT FIT FOR PUBLIC OFFICE BECAUSE THE DOGMA LIVES LOUDLY WITHIN HER.
THIS KIND OF RELIGIOUS TEST FOR FITNESS FOR PUBLIC OFFICE IS NOT ONLY UNCONSITUTIONAL IT ALSO MISREPRESENTS THE NATURE OF RELIGION.
JESUS SAYS THAT YOU ARE TRULY RELIGIOUS WHEN YOU LOVE WITH SACRIFICIAL LOVE, “NO GREATER LOVE HAS ANY MAN THAN THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIEND.” NO MAN OR WOMAN SHOULD BE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE OF THE INTENSITY OF THEIR LOVE FOR GOD.
THIS WEEK CATHOLIC PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD CELEBRATED THE SACRIFICIAL LOVE OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO BECAME MSSIONARIES TO FOREIGN LANDS AT THE RISK OF THEIR LIVES. WE CELEBRATED THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WERE INSPIRED TO TELL EVERYONE THEY MEET THAT JESUS IS NOT ABOUT POWER AND DOMINATION. HE IS ABOUT SACRIFICIAL LOVE OF GOD AND SERVICE TO THE HUMAN RACE.
WHEREVER THE MISSIONARIES GO THEY BUILD SCHOOLS CLINICS AND HOSPITALS. THEY TEACH MODERN METHODS OF AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY. THEY TRY TO ESTABLISH A LIFE OF PEACE AND BROTHERLY LOVE. THEY TRY TO RECONCILE PEOPLE TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO GOD.
THROUGH SACRIFICIAL LOVE CATHOLIC MISSIONS HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN ASIA, AFRICA, SOUTH AMERICA AND OCEANA. WHY HAVE THEY BEEN SUCCESSFUL? THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO REASONS. FIRST, THEY CARRIED WITH THEM A CREDIBLE AND FORCEFUL MESSAGE OF SACRIFICIAL LOVE. SECOND, THEY ARE COMMITTED TO THE VOWS OF POVERTY CHASTITY AND OBEDIENCE.
WHAT DO THESE VOWS HAVE TO DO WITH THE SUCCESS OF CATHOLIC MISSIONS?
THINK ABOUT IT. WHY WOULD MOST NATIVE PEOPLE, ANYWHERE, FEAR STRANGERS? THERE ARE THREE REASONS WHY PEOPLE MIGHT FEAR STRANGERS.
ONE—THEY FEAR STRANGERS BECAUSE THEY FEAR THAT THE STRANGER WILL TAKE THEIR MONEY AND POSSESSIONS. THE MISSIONARIES SAY: WE TAKE THE VOW OF POVERTY. WE HAVE NO DESIGNS ON YOUR POSSESSIONS.
TWO—THEY FEAR THAT THE STRANGER WILL TAKE THEIR WOMEN—THE MISSIONARIES SAY: WE TAKE THE VOW OF CELIBACY. WE PURSUE THE VIRTUE OF CHASTITY. WE DO NOT COME FOR YOUR WOMEN.
THREE—PEOPLE FEAR THAT THE STRANGER WILL DOMINATE THEM AND LORD IT OVER THEM—THE MISSIONARIES SAY: WE TAKE THE VOW OF OBEDIENCE TO A MASTER WHO SAID: “I CAME TO SERVE, NOT TO BE SERVED.”
HISTORIANS TELL US THAT THE VOWS OF POVERTY CHASTITY AND OBEDIENCE HAVE BEEN A POWERFUL INFLUENCE ON THE SUCCESS OF CATHOLIC MISSIONS.
THE JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN MEANING SYSTEM IS THE BLESSING THAT ST. PAUL, THE GREATEST MISSIONARY OF THE CHURCH, BROUGHT TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND TO EUROPE. THIS MEANING SYSTEM OF INCARNATION AND REDEMPTION, THIS MEANING SYSTEM OF SACRIICIAL LOVE INSPIRED MISSIONARIES FOR 2000 YEARS TO BE PART OF THE GREATEST SPIRITUAL REVOLUTION IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND.
IN 1492 COLUMBUS SET FOOT ON SAN SALVADORE. HE OPENED UP THE WATERWAYS FOR THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL. THAT MOMENT IN HISTORY WAS WORLD CHANGING BECAUSE THE MISSIONARIES BROUGHT THE MESSAGE OF SACRIFICIAL LOVE. TO THIS HEMISPHERE.
THAT MOMENT IN HISTORY CAN BE COMPARED TO WHAT THE ROMAN ARMIES DID IN THE CENTURIES BEFORE CHRIST. THEY OPENED UP THE WATERWAYS AND THE HIGHWAYS TO SPAIN, TO AFRICA, TO NORTHERN AND EASTERN EUROPE, SO THAT ALL ROADS EVENTUALLY LED TO ROME, AND FROM ROME TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.
PROVIDENTIALLY, WHEN THE CHRISTIANS CAME ALONG, THEY USED THE GREAT ROADS AND WATERWAYS TO EXPORT THE GOSPEL FROM ROME TO THE BRITISH ISLES, TO GERMANY, TO THE SLOVAK PEOPLES, TO THE SCANDANAVIAN PEOPLES, AND TO THE FRONTIERS OF AFRICA AND ASIA.
AS SOON AS COLUMBUS FOUND THE OPENING TO THE CARIBBEAN SEA, MISSIONARIES FOLLOWED HIM. WITHIN 80 YEARS 30 DIOCESES WERE ESTABLISHED IN THE WEST INDIES, FLORIDA, CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA AND MEXICO.
THERE ARE RECORDS OF DIOCESES FORMED IN SANTO DOMINGO IN 1511, PANAMA IN 1513, CUBA IN 1522 AND MEXICO IN 1530.
IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY THE CHURCH WITNESSED UNPARALLED MISSIONARY ACTIVITY. THERE WAS A REASON FOR THIS. AS SOON AS COLUMBUS OPENED UP THE WATERWAYS TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN, THE CHURCH HAD MANY RELIGIOUS ORDERS THAT COULDN’T WAIT TO PURSUE NEW ADVENTURES IN SPREADING THE GOSPEL TO FOREIGN LANDS.
THE FRANCISCANS, THE DOMINICANS, THE CARMELITES, THE AUGUSTINIANS AND THE JESUITS WERE READY TO TAKE THE GOSPEL TO PEOPLE WHO DID NOT KNOW CHRIST.
MANY SAINTS DISTINGUSHED THEMSELVES IN THE SERVICE OF THE GOSPEL. SOME OF THE MORE FAMOUS ARE ST. LOUIS BERTRAND A DOMINICAN WHO WORKED IN COLUMBIA AND PANAMA; ST. FRANCIS SOLANUS A FRANCISCAN WHO MINISTERED IN PERU; ST. PETER CLAVER, A JESUIT, WHO BAPTIZED OVER 300,000 BLACK SLAVES IN CARTAGENA; ST. JUNIPERO SERRA, A FRANCISCAN FRIAR, WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING THE FAITH TO 21 MISSIONS ALONG THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA; FATHER MARQUETTE, A JESUIT PRIEST, WHO BROUGHT THE FAITH TO THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER; AND ST. ISAAC JOGUES, A JESUIT PRIEST WHO SUFFERED HORENDOUS TORTURE AND DEATH TO BRING THE FAITH TO THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN WHAT IS NOW CANADA AND NEW YORK STATE.
COLUMBUS AND THE EXPLORERS AFTER HIM HAD MANY DIFFERENT MOTIVES FOR CROSSING THE OCEANS AND OPENING UP THE WATERWAYS OF THE WORLD. THEY WERE IN SEARCH OF GOLD AND LAND AND POWER. BUT MANY OF THEM WERE ALSO MEN OF FAITH WHO CARED ABOUT THE SALVATION OF SOULS.
THE MISSIONARIES WHO ACCOMPANIED THE EXPLORERS HAD THEIR MOTIVES TOO. THEY TOO HAD THE SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE. BUT THEY WERE ALSO ON FIRE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, WITH SACRIFICIAL LOVE, THEY GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THE SALVATION OF SOULS.
THE MISSIONARIES TODAY ARE OFFERING THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS, BAPTIZING, TEACHING, PRESERVING CULTURES, FEEDING, CLOTHING AND HOUSING PEOPLE IN EVERY MISSIONARY COUNTRY OF THE WORLD.
WE MUST NOT FORGET THE MISSIONARIES. THEIR FAITH IS OUR FAITH--THEIR MISSION IS OUR MISSION-- THEIR WORK IS OUR WORK. THEY ARE BRAVING ALL THE CHALLENGES OF STRANGE LANDS AND HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS IN OUR PLACE. THEY ARE DOING IT FOR ONE REASON—TO SAVE SOULS. THEY DESERVE ALL THE SPIRITUAL AND MATERIAL HELP THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM.
JESUS I TRUST IN YOU.