20220511 ABANDONMENT OF MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES
11 May, 2022, Wednesday, 4th Week of Easter
First reading | Acts 12:24-13:5 © |
'I want Barnabas and Saul set apart'
The word of God continued to spread and to gain followers. Barnabas and Saul completed their task and came back from Jerusalem, bringing John Mark with them.
In the church at Antioch the following were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, ‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.’ So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
So these two, sent on their mission by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. They landed at Salamis and proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; John acted as their assistant.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 66(67):2-3,5-6,8 © |
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
or
Alleluia!
O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth
and all nations learn your saving help.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
or
Alleluia!
Let the nations be glad and exult
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples,
you guide the nations on earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
or
Alleluia!
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
May God still give us his blessing
till the ends of the earth revere him.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Acclamation | Jn20:29 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
‘You believe, Thomas, because you can see me.
Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.
Alleluia!
Or: | Jn8:12 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
anyone who follows me will have the light of life.
Alleluia!
Gospel | John 12:44-50 © |
I, the light, have come into the world
Jesus declared publicly:
‘Whoever believes in me
believes not in me
but in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me,
sees the one who sent me.
I, the light, have come into the world,
so that whoever believes in me
need not stay in the dark any more.
If anyone hears my words and does not keep them faithfully,
it is not I who shall condemn him,
since I have come not to condemn the world,
but to save the world.
He who rejects me and refuses my words has his judge already:
the word itself that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day.
For what I have spoken does not come from myself;
no, what I was to say,
what I had to speak,
was commanded by the Father who sent me,
and I know that his commands mean eternal life.
And therefore what the Father has told me
is what I speak.’
ABANDONMENT OF MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Acts 12:24-13:5; Ps 67:2-3,5-6,8; Jn 12:44-50]
One of the most noticeable phenomena in the development of Christianity today is the rise of the evangelical churches and the decline or stagnancy of the established mainstream churches. It is difficult for many of us to recognize and give credit to these evangelical churches because they are not part of us or because we do not consider them to be orthodox in their message. But we cannot deny the zeal and passion the members of these churches have in not just spreading the gospel to their friends, colleagues and neighbours, but many of these churches are willing to sponsor and send missionaries to faraway places where Christians are the minority. And their missions have succeeded as new churches and Christian communities are formed.
For established Churches like the Roman Catholic Church, because of our long history and tradition, we do not feel the need to evangelize, much less to go on mission to those places that Christ is hardly proclaimed. Yet, in the history of the Church, particularly from the 12th to the 19th century, the Church was at the forefront in sending missionaries to other countries and peoples that did not know Christ. As a consequence, today, we are benefitting from their hard work as many Catholic institutions, whether schools, hospitals or churches have been built. Unfortunately, what we inherited also make us feel self-sufficient and hence we lack the missionary zeal to bring Christ to those who do not know Him.
Most lay Catholics and even priests and religious are quite happy to maintain our parishes, churches and organizations. In truth, because we are so short of clergy and religious, we say to ourselves, we have enough pastoral commitments already, and looking after the needs of our parishioners already takes up all our time. We do not have any resources or strength or desire left to go beyond our parish boundaries to seek out those who are lost, even if they are Catholics, much less those who do not know Christ. So the lack of missionary zeal, self-sufficiency, the lack of manpower and resources have made the Church inward-looking.
Yet, because the Church does not go out to proclaim the gospel except just to take care of those who already have accepted Christ, the Church will gradually grow old and die from dwindling new membership, a lack of rejuvenation and a tendency towards parochial-mindedness. In contrast, those churches that are small see the need to grow and bring in new members for Christ. They are willing even to sacrifice their resources and send missionaries abroad to announce the gospel to those who are ignorant of Christ. And more than just resources, they are not diffident or shy to proclaim the gospel. They are not afraid of rejection.
Indeed, this was how the early Church started. It began with the reception of the Gospel and their encounter with the Risen Lord. Jesus in the gospel proclaimed Himself as the Light of the World. Jesus declared publicly, “Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me, sees the one who sent me. I, the light, have come into the world, so that whoever believes in me need not stay in the dark any more.” Jesus’ words bring us to eternal life. So powerful and effective was the early Church that “the word of God continued to spread and to gain followers.”
Right from the start, the Church was conscious that she was called to be Catholic, that is universal. The Christian Faith is not just for the Jewish people but for all nations and for everyone. This consciousness began at Antioch where the leaders came from different nations of origin. The diversity and cosmopolitan composition of the Church at Antioch reveals much about what the Church is called to be. Not just in membership but in leadership. Five resident prophets and teachers were from diverse ethnic and cultural background. Barnabas was a Levite from Cyprus (Acts 4:36). Simeon was a Hebrew name. Niger presumably was a Black African. Lucius of Cyrene came from North Africa. Manaen was brought up by Herod the tetrarch. Saul was from Tarsus in Cilicia. With such a cosmopolitan background, we can appreciate why they felt the need to bring the gospel beyond the shores of Palestine and the Jews to all the nations in the world.
The confirmation of this call to bring the gospel to the Gentiles came about when “they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, ‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.'” The early Christians were intuitive and connected with the Lord in prayer and in contemplation. They fasted as much as they prayed. Their fasting was not an end in itself but a means to strengthen their zeal and devotion in worshipping the Lord. It was because of their openness and spirit-anointed worship that the Lord challenged them to move beyond their comfort zone. True worship must always lead to outreach, otherwise such godliness has no power. But outreach without worship will become an ambition, not a mission.
Hence, perhaps, if our zeal for the mission is lacking, it is because we have not prayed devoutly and listened to the prompting of the Spirit. Whenever people tell me that there is a lack of vocations or missionaries or volunteers, perhaps it is an indication that our people are not praying deeply and so do not feel the love of God and His graciousness for them. As a consequence, such worship could be simply a perfunctory act, not bringing much change to their lives, except some inspirational moments, but not enough to make them respond to God’s invitation to spread the Word and the gospel to others. Whenever a parish is anointed with the Spirit and the people worshipped deeply, we will see the fruits of vocation, pastoral commitment and missionary outreach to those who have not yet known the Lord or accepted Him. So for any missionary activity to begin, we must fast and pray so that we can listen to Him. This was why the Lord told the apostles “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Mt 9:37) He also warned us against being parochial-minded. When Jesus withdrew from the people to pray to His Father, He was able to keep focused on His mission. “When they found him, they said to him, ‘Everyone is searching for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go on to the neighbouring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.'” (Mk 1:37f)
Secondly, there must be a generosity on our part to make sacrifices for the good of God’s people and for the sake of the mission. When they discerned the Holy Spirit asking them to send two of their best teachers, Barnabas and Saul for the mission, they did not seek to retain them, much as they needed them to stay in Antioch to look after the community. So too, there is always the temptation to want to look after our own house exclusively, forgetting that those of us who are better off should be ready to sacrifice even the best of what we have for the greater good of the mission as the community in Antioch did by allowing Barnabas and Saul to leave for the mission the Lord had entrusted to them.
Finally, for the mission to be successful, those who are going on mission must be sent and appointed. We do not send ourselves, just as Jesus did not send Himself. He made it clear, “For what I have spoken does not come from myself; no, what I was to say, what I had to speak, was commanded by the Father who sent me, and I know that his commands mean eternal life. And therefore, what the Father has told me is what I speak.” So too Barnabas and Saul were sent by the community. “It was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off. So these two, sent on their mission by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus. They landed at Salamis and proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; John acted as their assistant.” We too must be supported by our church community. Everyone of us must act together to serve the mission of the Church in spreading the Good News. We do not do it alone. Some provide resources, some support by prayers, some volunteer themselves to serve in the mission. Whatever it is, the mission can only be successful when the Christian community supports the missionaries to do their work. This is why we are obliged to support missionaries in the world.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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