EDITORIAL

Hearts on fire and feet in haste for peace-building

BY FR Rafael Armada | EDITOR

THE THEME of this issue of Worldwide is ‘Mission and dialogue for peace’. Amidst many conflicts and wars, the world needs to find avenues towards peace; bringing together the best of every faith tradition, and the inspiration of personal witness, enhancing justice and fraternity among humanity.

On the occasion of World Mission Sunday 2023, Pope Francis has addressed his message entitled “Hearts on fire, feet on the move” based on the passage of the disciples of Emaus (Lk 24:13-35). Their encounter with the Risen Christ utterly transformed them, from absolute disappointment to burning enthusiasm.

“Today, as then, the Risen Lord remains close to his missionary disciples and walks beside them, particularly when they feel disoriented, discouraged, fearful of the mystery of iniquity that surrounds them and seeks to overwhelm them,” says the Pope.

Pope Francis meditates on three images taken from this passage: Firstly, ‘their hearts burned within them as they heard the Scriptures, explained by Jesus’ (Lk 24:32). ” The word of God illuminates and transforms our hearts, as the Risen Lord explains to us its meaning”, says the Pope.

Secondly, ‘When they gathered around the table, their eyes were opened and they recognized him when he broke the bread; but he vanished from their sight’ (Lk 24:31). “Christ, who breaks the bread, becomes the bread broken, shared with the disciples and consumed by them. He is no longer seen, for he has entered the hearts of the disciples, to make them burn, and prompts them to set out immediately”.

“Breaking our material bread with the hungry is already a work of Christian mission. How much more so is the breaking of the Eucharistic bread, which is Christ himself, is a work of mission par excellence, since the Eucharist is the source and summit of the life and mission of the Church”.

Ultimately, ‘their feet set out on the way’ (Lk 24:33). “One cannot encounter the risen Jesus without being set on fire with enthusiasm and joy to tell everyone about him”. The missio ad gentes, explains the Pope, entrusted to the Church to evangelize all individuals and peoples is still valid. Our human family, wounded by so many situations of injustice, divisions and wars, is in need of the Good News of peace and salvation in Christ. “Everyone has the right to receive the Gospel”. (Evangelii Gaudium, 14).

“The urgency of the Church’s missionary activity calls for an ever-closer missionary cooperation on the part of all her members. This is an essential goal of the synodal journey that the Church has undertaken, guided by the key words: communion, participation, mission; a process of listening to the risen Lord, so that we can, by the power of the Holy Spirit, carry out his mission in the world”.

We, Comboni missionaries, celebrate 100 years of our presence in South Africa. This event will be launched on 14th October, at Maria Trost, our first mission, in Lydenburg, Mpumalanga and it will extend, as a Jubilee Year, with commemorations in different areas where we are currently present. It is a time to thank God for his continuous presence with us and to thank those missionaries who gave their lives, in these lands, for the advancement of the Gospel.