Message Of His Holiness Benedict Xvi For The 82nd World Mission Sunday 2008

MESSAGE OF HIS HOINESS BENEDICT XVI

FOR THE 82^ND WORLD MISSION SUNDAY 2008

“Servants and Apostles of Christ Jesus”

Dear Brothers and Sisters, “duc in altum”! Let us set sail in the vast sea of the world and, following Jesus’ invitation, let us cast our nets without fear, confident in his constant aid. St. Paul reminds us that to preach the Gospel is no reason to boast (cf. 1 Cor 9:16), but rather a duty and a joy. Dear brother Bishops, following Paul’s example, many of each one feel like, “a prisoner of Christ for the Gentiles” (Eph 3:1), knowing that you can count on the strength that comes to us from him in difficulties and trials. A Bishop is consecrated not only for his Diocese, but for the salvation of the World (cf. Encyclical Redemptoris Mission, n.63). Like the Apostle Paul, a Bishop is called to reach out to those who are far away and do not know Christ yet or have still not experienced his liberating love. A Bishop’s commitment is to make the whole diocesan community missionary by contributing willingly, according to the possibilities, to sending priests and laypersons to other Churches for the Evangelization service. In this way, the mission and gentles becomes the unifying and converging principle of its entire pastoral and charitable activity.

You, dear priest, the Bishops’ first collaborators, be generous pastors and enthusiastic evangelizers! Many of you in these past decades have gone to the mission territories following the Encyclical Fidei Donum whose 50^th anniversary we celebrated recently, and with which my venerable Predecessor, the Servant of God Pius XII, gave an impulse to cooperation between the churches. I am confident that this missionary tension in the local Churches will not be lacking, despite the lack of clergy that afflicts many of them.

And you, dear men and women religious, whose vocation is marked by a strong missionary connotation, bring the proclamation in the Gospel to everyone, especially those who are far away., through consistent witness to Christ and radical following of his gospel. Dear faithfully laity, you who act in the different areas of society are called to take part in the increasingly important way in spreading the gospel. A complex and multiform areopagus thus opens up before you to be evangelized: the world. Give witness with your life that Christians belong to a new society which is the goal of their common pilgrimage.

Dear brothers and sisters, may the celebration of the World Mission Day encourage everyone to take renewed awareness of the urgent need to proclaim the Gospel. I cannot fail to point out with sincere appreciation the contribution of pontifical mission of societies to the church evangeling activity. I thank them for the support they offer to all the Communities, especially the young ones. They are valid instrument for animating and forming the people of GOD from a missionary viewpoint, and they nurture the communion of persons and good between the different parts of the Mystical Body of Christ. May the collection that is taken in all the parishes on World Mission Day be sign of communion and mutual concern among the Churches. Lastly, may be prayer be intensified ever more in the Christian people, the essential spirituals means for spreading among all peoples of the light of Christ, the “light par excellence” that illuminates “the darkness of history”. As I entrust the Lord the apostolic work of missionaries, the Churches all over the World and the faithful involved in various missionary activities and invoke the intercession of the Apostle Paul and Holy Mary, “the living Ark of the Covenant”, the Star of evangelation of hope, I impart my Apostolic Blessing to everyone.