RISING UP AND JOURNEYING TOGETHER

Gree�ngs of love and peace in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ from the Council for World Mission!

I am glad to present the 2023 Sundays with CWM, a weekly devo�onal of the CWM. This devo�onal aims to provide spiritual accompaniment to all the readers— individuals, families, and congrega�ons—and serve as a pastoral recourse to all those who seek inspira�on from the stories of faith. This devo�onal also aims to provoke missional thinking through biblical and theological reflec�ons on various challenges the global and local communi�es, including the crea�on, face.

The theme of this booklet, “Rising up and Journeying Together,” is a prophe�c call for all the readers to embark upon a missional journey in solidarity with the most vulnerable resis�ng the life-threatening forces and affirming life for all.

The world today is threatened by numerous forms of life-denying forces that exploit resources, oppress the poor and weak, and create divisions in socie�es causing wars and conflicts. In the midst of all these life-threatening forces, the scripture says that Jesus comes to give life in its abundance to all. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). As the disciples of Jesus, who came to give life, we need to proclaim this good news to everyone. The proclama�on of such good news is that God affirms hope over despair, and life over death, transforming the lives of the poor, the oppressed, and the vic�mised. This proclama�on requires us to not only rise up from the forces of enslavement, destruc�on and death but also to walk in solidarity with the vulnerable in a journey towards affirming the abundant life that Christ came to give us all. Therefore, we must commit ourselves to the mission of rising up and journeying together towards crea�ng life-giving alterna�ves and fostering lifeflourishing communi�es in solidarity with others, life-flourishing crea�on in solidarity with the planet earth and life-flourishing economy in solidarity with the vulnerable.

As you take upon the journey and walk with many others in commitment, I pray that these weekly reflec�ons may provide you with constant encouragement throughout the year to not only cling on to faith in God but also to put that faith into ac�on.

May 2023 be a year of blessings and transforma�on for us all.

Jooseop Keum General Secretary Council for World Mission

www.cwmission.org/