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 www.worldssps.org “In fact, one of the obstacles to the impetus of evangelization is the crisis of faith, not only in the Western world, but among most of humanity, which, however, is hungering and thirsting for God and must be invited and brought to the bread of life and the living water, like the Samaritan woman who goes to Jacob’s well and converses with Christ. As John the Evangelist recounts, this woman’s story is particularly significant (cf. Jn 4:1-30): she meets Christ, who asks her for a drink but then speaks to her of a new water which can satisfy thirst for ever. At first the woman does not understand, she remains at a material level, but slowly she is led by the Lord to make a journey of faith which leads her to recognize him as the Messiah. And St. Augustine says about this: “after having welcomed Christ the Lord in her heart, what else could [this woman] have done other than leave her pitcher and run to the village to announce the good news?” (cf. Homily 15, 30). The encounter with Christ as a living Person, who satisfies the thirst of the heart, cannot but lead to the desire to share with others the joy of this presence and to make him known, so that all may experience this joy.” Pope Benedict’s Message for World Mission Sunday 2012
October 2012
Dear Friends,
This year the theme of the World Mission Sunday are words taken from the Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei, “Called to radiate the Word of truth” (n. 6). We celebrate this World Mission Sunday in the Year of Faith which as Pope Benedict says, gives a new meaning to the mission that was entrusted to the Church centuries ago. The theme also emphasizes the mission of the Church that is to spread the values that Jesus taught. The Church has a mission and its mission is to make the love of God visible in every corner of the world. Its mission is to proclaim the faith that God is real, and God is still calling each of us to partake in this mission. Each person is called to make this mission of the Church her and his own by making it real in each one’s lives. We must be the message! Our lives must “speak of and give real flesh to truth, justice, peace, love, holiness and fidelity. When people look at our lives, what they see there must enable them to trust and to give themselves over in trust. The word needs to continue to have flesh in our lives. This is our real mission.” – Ronald Rolheiser, OMI (Secularity and the Gospel, p.74). How is this mission viable in your own life? Have you taken time to discover the work that God committed you to do? As we prepare to celebrate this World Mission Sunday let us find some time to reflect on the above questions and take part in making this mission possible in your own life. May this celebration fill our hearts with the love that truly comes from the Holy Spirit and may it revive our commitment to service in the name of love. May we also find time to pray for those missionaries who left their families and friends to give their energies to direct evangelization. Sincerely, Sr. Elwira Dziuk, SSpS
Called by the Spirit, Embracing the World.