Love: the heart of mission
Listening to the Spirit
PRAYER FOR MISSION
Lord, Jesus Christ,
help us to journey with you on the pathway of the Gospel
and to live out our vocation to mission
in the Church and in today’s world.
Strengthen us in our discipleship
so that we can be faithful heralds of Your Good News
to our local Church and to the ends of the earth.
Empower us to serve you as missionaries to the poor,
the afflicted, the abandoned, the oppressed,
the youth and the children.
May we draw those who doubt the Living Christ
into the fullness of life through the witness of our faith.
Enkindle in our hearts a burning love for Jesus Christ
so that we could be authentic agents
of missionary renewal for our communities.
May the Holy Spirit lead us into a new season
of mission for the Church.
This prayer we make to you
who are living Lord now and forever.
Amen!
Listening to the Word
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, "Which is the first of all the commandments?" Jesus replied, "The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these." The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, 'He is One and there is no other than he.' And 'to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself' is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Reflection
We conclude today the Church’s mission month of October with a stunning Gospel passage. The Scribes were the experts of the law and know it by heart, however, they asked Jesus about the greatest commandment. Remarkably, Jesus responded by summarizing the law on what he was already preaching by words and deeds: “love God and your neighbors.”
Love is the core of Christianity. It is the distinctive mark for all Christians who want to live their vocation devotedly. To “love God and neighbors” is not just a commandment, but it is the essence of Christianity. In other words, to be a Christian is to be in love with God and neighbors.
Especially, the missionary is a Christian who wants to live radically the greatest commandment. It is through LOVE, in its two dimensions, that the missionary vocation is born. The experience of loving God is extremely profound that brings the missionary to love his/her neighbors by sharing with them his/her God’s love experience so that they may too experience such formidable love. The missionary is a witness of loving God and the neighbor.
The mission month has been special this year because we are celebrating the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. It is not just a historical celebration, but it is a reminder of our identity as missionaries by witnessing our love for God and our neighbors.
Reflection Questions
Gospel Reflections
Allowing Jesus to Change Us
Who Is Jesus for Me? From Encounter to Mission
