Pastor’s Corner for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, by Fr. Nobert Munekani SJ

This Sunday, which is World Mission Day, has the following theme: “Hearts on fire, feet on the move” (Lk 24:13–35). Pope in his message, says: “The image of ‘feet setting out’ reminds us once more of the perennial validity of the missio ad gentes, the mission entrusted to the Church by the risen Lord to evangelize all individuals and peoples, even to the ends of the earth. Today more than ever, our human family, wounded by so many situations of injustice, so many divisions and wars, needs the Good News of peace and salvation in Christ.” Pope Francis explains to us that the Pontifical Mission Societies are rooted in a twofold love namely, Christ’s love for us and our love for Christ: “All of us can contribute to this missionary movement: with our prayers and activities, with material offerings and the offering of our sufferings, and with our personal witness. The Pontifical

Mission Societies are the privileged means of fostering this missionary cooperation on both the spiritual and material levels. For this reason, the collection taken on World Mission Sunday is devoted to the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith.” (3. “Our feet set out on the way,” message of His Holiness Pope Francis for World Mission Day 2023).

Today’s Gospel, curiously, talks about money: a matter about paying taxes to the emperor, an image, and an inscription on the coin. The imperial coin has “Cesar’s image,” but mankind is God’s image (Gn 1:27). Cesar has the right to receive what belongs to him, but do not give him what belongs only to God within you. Christians submit to political authorities if the State does not take God’s place by being worshipped. This episode remains the helm of every Christian who is committed to the city and not a dividing wall between politics and religion. We can also financially support the Society for the evangelization of the world.

In his catechesis “The passion for evangelization, the apostolic zeal,” Pope Francis explains that to evangelize, there is a passion that involves everything: the mind, the heart, the hands, going out … everything, the whole person is involved with this proclamation of the Gospel, and for this reason, we talk about the passion for evangelizing. The Gospel says that Jesus “appointed the twelve, to be with Him, and to be sent out to preach” (Mk 3:14). For Jesus there is no going without staying and there is no staying without going. Before sending the disciples forth on mission, Christ “calls them to himself” (cf. Mt 10:1). The proclamation is born from the encounter with the Lord, every Christian activity, especially the mission, begins from there. In fact, following Christ is not an inward-looking fact: without proclamation, without service, without mission, the relationship with Jesus does not grow.

This means that the experience of mission is part of Christian formation. Let us then recall these two constitutive moments for every disciple: staying with Jesus and going forth, sent by Jesus. (cf.Pope Francis, catechesis 2023, No 4. The first apostolate).

For the sick

Let us continue to pray for the sick members of our parish especially Benedicta Ngwebelele, Phoebe Ngwenya and Andrew Ledwaba.  

Rev. Fr. N. Munekani SJ