The Catholic Bishop of Kafanchan Diocese, Most Rev. Julius Kundi, has emphasized that the mission of spreading the good news of Christ who brings truth, love and freedom particularly to those enslaved must be sustained with much enthusiasm because everyone has the right to receive the gospel.
Bishop Kundi emphasised during his homily at the Mass commemorating the World Mission Sunday, by the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS), at the St. Gabriel Chaplaincy, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Abuja on Sunday, October 22, 2023.
Reflecting on the theme of the day: ‘hearts on fire, feet on the move,’ the celebrant, noted that the day’s celebration is intended to ignite in all, the zeal and urgency of the Church’s missionary activity of proclaiming the risen Lord based on their personal experiences of him just like the two brothers on their way to Emmaus.
“Each one of us has a part to play in igniting God’s love. Let us set out again with burning hearts, with our eyes open and our feet in motion. Let us set out to make other hearts burn with the word of God and all its richness. This is a duty that must be carried out.”
The Bishop who described the Pope’s message for the mission Sunday as simple and clear, explained that having known Jesus through the Scriptures and the Eucharist, Christians should be filled with much enthusiasm and courage to joyfully share the gospel in solidarity with their brothers and sisters who are still living in poverty, violence and oppression.
“Here we see how he connects the missionary call of every disciple and the gift of Jesus present in the Eucharist, to be the central message of this year’s World Mission Sunday.
To teach more on the impact of the Eucharist in Evangelization, Pope Francis quoted Pope Benedict XVI who once remarked that for us to communicate the love of God to the world effectively, and succeed in bringing people to encounter Christ and believe in him, the Eucharist should not only be regarded as the source and summit of the life of the church, but also the source and summit of her mission.
“This is absolutely true because Pope Francis believes and expresses that there is no doubt, a person who has truly encountered the risen Lord necessarily will be set on fire with enthusiasm to tell everyone about him.
“Indeed our mission today is clear. More than ever, our human family, “wounded by so many situations of injustice, so many divisions and wars, is in need of the good news of peace and salvation in Christ,” he explained.
The National Director of PMS, Fr. Solomon Zaku, in an exclusive chat with CSN Media after the Mass, disclosed that Mission Sunday is a special day for prayers and support for the mission, because the work and support of the mission involves all Christians, who by virtue of baptism, are missionaries.
Intimating all about the forthcoming 5th edition of the National Mission Congress (NAMICON5), the PMS Director disclosed that the National Mission Congress takes place in Nigeria after every four years and that it is usually organized by the CSN in collaboration with the PMS.
He further explained that the mission congress avails the church in Nigeria an opportunity to evaluate and assess its involvement in the missionary mandate of Christ and that NAMICON5 will hold at the Maria Asumpta Cathedral in the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri from October 24 to 27.