(October 1, 2010) Pope Benedict’s missionary prayer intention for October is that
World Mission Day may help Christians realize that the task of proclaiming Christ
is a necessary service to which the Church is called for the benefit of humanity.
The Catholic Church observes Mission Sunday on the third Sunday of October, with special
prayers and collections for the work of missionaries around the world. For this occasion,
the Holy Father releases a special message well ahead of the annual observance to
give time to local churches to plan and celebrate it adequately. In this year’s message
Pope Benedict picks up the theme of this month’s missionary intention: that we may
realize that proclaiming the Gospel is necessary for the benefit of humanity. How
is it necessary? Under commandment from Christ to preach and to baptize, the Church
is “by her very nature missionary.” His people proclaim Christ in word and in deed,
says the Pope, “because they have found in him the meaning and the truth for their
own lives.” “The missionary mandate,” the Pope continues, “cannot be fulfilled without
a profound personal, community and pastoral conversion.” Words are not enough. We
must live our faith. So how does missionary service benefit all of humanity? It benefits
all because Christians bring the truth of Jesus, and all humanity is hungry for the
truth, which is the love of God. God’s love alone is the basis for true peace and
true happiness, here and now and in heaven forever. The preaching of the Gospel, says
the Pope, bears fruit in a more just society and in a human solidarity that prepares
us for eternal life. The Pope said recently to the Mission Societies, “Evangelization
needs Christians with arms raised to God in a gesture of prayer, Christians moved
by the awareness that the conversion of the world to Christ is not done by us, but
is given” by God while we pray and follow the Lord. So, as Apostles of Prayer, we
commit ourselves to prayer and alms-giving. This is our duty and our joy.