Mission Sunday – 20th October 2013
Like every other annual celebration or memorial that comes round every twelve months, Mission Sunday again this year runs the risk of ‘been there, done that before’!! about it. The sharpness of any message really is often lost in the dullness of routine.
For serious Christians throughout the world, there should be a great sense of pride in belonging to our Church on this day. To belong to a group who have in their midst, those who give such powerful witness, to the practice of the Gospel of love, should have a feel good factor for all of us. We’re all called to practice that same Gospel – but the number of those who leave so much behind them, to witness to the Love of God in far off, distant and difficult places around the world, is hugely striking and very impressive.
Here in Ireland too we are much indebted as individuals and as a society to the generations of our own country men and women. Their selfless service, because of their faith in God, allowed them offer to Health, Education and Social Services in this country a foundation on which we continue to build to this day. The awful witness, that the few in their midst have inflicted, on the lives of some vulnerable and innocent people remains inexcusable, and a blight forever on our history. However, the evil in our world ought never cast a shadow larger that the good which is far greater than it.
A O’N