October Message

Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters PO Box 6026, Techny, IL 60082-6026 319 Waukegan Rd., Northfield, IL 60093 Office of Vocation Ministry  Phone: 847-441-0126, ext. 704 sspsovm@aol.com  www.ssps-usa.org Dear Friends, This month on the third Sunday the Church is going to celebrate WORLD MISSION SUNDAY. That Sunday of October was dedicated to promote the missionary movement in the Church. Before His Ascension Jesus told the Apostles: “Make disciples of all peoples” (Mt 28:19). This passage is known as a “missionary mandate” and is still relevant to many who want to follow Jesus. For centuries this message has been proclaimed all over the world to all people who feel called to do missionary work.

In the Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum caritatis Pope Benedict XVI wrote, "The love that we celebrate in the sacrament is not something we can keep to ourselves. By its very nature it demands to be shared with everyone. What the world needs is God's love; it needs to encounter Christ and to believe in him" (n. 84). The Pope continues in the message for the World Mission Sunday this year: “For this reason the Eucharist is not only the source and summit of the Church's life, but also of her mission: "an authentically Eucharistic Church is a missionary Church" (ibid.), which can bring all to communion with God, proclaiming with conviction "that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us" (1 Jn 1: 3).

Dear friends, on this World Mission Sunday in which the heart's gaze extends to the immense spaces of mission, let us all be protagonists of the Church's commitment to proclaim the Gospel. The missionary impulse has always been a sign of vitality for our Churches (cf. Encyclical Letter, Redemptoris missio, n. 2), with their cooperation and their unique witness of unity, brotherhood and solidarity that gives credibility to heralds of the Love that saves!”

The Church’s mission of bringing the light of Christ to all people should be also the mission of each one of us who was baptized and thus, committed herself or himself to spreading the Good News of God’s love. There is no better time to celebrate the MISSION SUNDAY than during the month of October in which we also honor Mary as the first person who brought light into the darkness. She is the first missionary who, by the power of the Holy Spirit revealed the love of God to others.

The same Holy Spirit is still present and active in the world encouraging many young men and women to pursue their missionary calling and go beyond their comfort zones to make the message of God manifest throughout the world. Let us ask the Holy Spirit during this month to instill in us the readiness to proclaim His love in our everyday life. Let us also remember in a particular way those who left all what was familiar to them to follow God’s call. May they have the courage to face every day situations with always ready and loving heart. _________________ Sr. Elwira Dziuk

___________________________ Sr. Veronica Marie Mikkelsen

THE MISSION SENDING OF THE DISCIPLES TO THE WORLD “Meanwhile the eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them…. Jesus came up and spoke tot hem. He said „All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations: baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And look, I am with you always; yes to the end of time‟” (Matthew 28:16-20)

MISSION REFLECTION: A missionary is one who totally surrenders and puts his or her trust in the abiding Presence of the Triune God. Sent by the Father in communion with the Holy Spirit, the Risen Christ now sends His disciples to continue the Divine mission. “As the Father send me, so am I sending you” (Jn 20:21). Although it was initially offered to particular people at a particular time and place, the mission is offered to everyone, and transcends the barriers of culture, time and space. It is God who calls, who washes, and who sends. St. Paul asks, ‘How then are they to call on him if they have not come to believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have not heard of him? And how will they hear of him unless there is a preacher for them? And how will there be preachers if they are not sent. As scripture says: How beautiful are the feet of the messengers of good news’ (Rm 10: 14-15). Even at the twilight of one’s life, the missionary remains a beacon of the Good News and a living reminder to everyone that God loves us, and will always be with us.

(From: The Mysteries of Mission by the Divine Word Missionaries)

PRAYER INTENTION: Sometimes we are happy to leave the task of promoting God’s care for the world to those who committed themselves to life of chastity, poverty and obedience forgetting the fact that this responsibility was entrusted to us all through the right of our baptism. As we call ourselves Christians, all of us should be partakers in the mission of Jesus Christ that He handed over to His Apostles and in succession was commended to us as His followers. The mission of Jesus was not excluding anyone from His love. Thus, our mission in every circumstance should be to bring the light of Christ to those who live in any form of darkness. We are to be messengers of the Good News that God came to live among us till the end of times.

As we meditate on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary during the month of October let us remember each other and our commitments to God’s calling. Let us also remember young people who are discerning God’s to religious life especially missionary life. This is a distinct calling in the Church and young people need a lot of encouragement to respond to this particular calling. This calling is often associated with adjusting to a new culture and leaving their own in order to make God’s call a reality in the world. Thus, they need our prayerful support so the message they were sent to promote will be alive in their midst.

Let us also remember to pray for each other that we take seriously our baptismal commitments and be the beacons of light in the midst of darkness and gloom that sometimes sets around. Let us support one another’s efforts to make this world, our world a better place where peace and love of God reign and where violence in any form has no place.

May this upcoming Mission Sunday be there to remind us of our commitments as Christians and as Associates to the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters.