Sadness, Joy, Prayers for Peace, and World Mission Sunday

BISHOP
KEVIN J.
SWEENEY

Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 14 and 15, was a beautiful weekend for our diocese. On Saturday, Oct. 14, close to 1,000 parishioners from all over our diocese participated in our Diocesan Pilgrimage to the National Shrine of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

On Sunday, Oct. 15, the Vivere Christus awards were presented to parishioners representing each of the parishes in the diocese, recognizing their service, leadership, and generosity as volunteers and ministers.

There was a great sense of joy in each of these gatherings. Yet, at these gatherings, at Masses, Religious Services, and other gatherings in our diocese and throughout the whole world, there was and is a feeling of deep sadness for what has taken place in the Holy Land during the past nine days. At the time of this writing, on Monday, Oct. 16, a ground invasion by the Israeli Army into the Gaza Strip appears imminent. We are all aware that the government of the nation of Israel is responding to terrorist attacks and brutal killings of innocent civilians that took place on Saturday, Oct. 7, but we pray for so many innocent civilians.

As pastors and religious leaders throughout the world have called for and led prayers for peace in the Holy Land in the past week, we are aware that, from Biblical times, there has been conflict in the place that is the “Promised Land” for the Jewish People, the birthplace of Christ and Christianity, and a Sacred place for the Muslim People. Even though there has been so much war and violence, we do not give up on the hope that peace is possible. The Vivere Christus awards receive their name from the episcopal motto of our Bishop Emeritus, Bishop Arthur Serratelli. The phrase is taken from St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians (1:20) and is translated, “For to me life is Christ.” At the ceremony, we also reflected on the Gospel passage Mt 5:13–16, in which Jesus tells his disciples, “… You are the salt of the earth … You are the light of the world.” It was my joy and privilege to thank the Vivere Christus recipients for the ways in which they put God’s Word into practice and live as Christ, as the “Salt and Light” that He calls us to be. I shared with all those who filled our Cathedral for the ceremony that, as the “Light of the World,” we must remember and witness to the testimony of John’s Gospel (1:5), “… the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Sunday, Oct. 22, is World Mission Sunday. Oct. 22 is also the Feast Day of St. Pope John Paul II. When we consider the very sad situation that is currently taking place in the Holy Land, when we realize that the war in Ukraine is dragging on with no end in sight, we can surely be discouraged. The life and example of St. Pope John Paul II can teach us that we need to persevere and not lose hope. Young Karol Wojtyla and the Polish people knew so much suffering, war, and violence, and yet they persevered in faith and did not lose hope. On Oct. 16, 1978, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla was elected as Pope and chose the name Pope John Paul II. On Oct. 22, 1978, in his inaugural address in St. Peter’s Square, he said, “Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors for Christ. … Christ knows ‘what is in man.’ He alone knows it.”

Each Christian is called to be a “missionary disciple.” In his message for World Mission Sunday, Pope Francis writes:

For this year’s World Mission Sunday, I have chosen a theme inspired by the story of the disciples on the way to Emmaus, in the Gospel of Luke (cf. 24:13–35): “Hearts on fire, feet on the move.” Those two disciples were confused and dismayed, but their encounter with Christ in the word and in the breaking of the bread sparked in them the enthusiastic desire to set out again towards Jerusalem and proclaim that the Lord had truly risen.

Like the disciples on the Road to Emmaus, we can often feel confused and dismayed. When we hear the news from the Holy Land or some of the sad news closer to home, we can feel discouraged and even be tempted to doubt. In those moments, we must remember that “the light shines in the darkness,” and we are called to be that light, the light of Christ, for one another and for the whole world. As Jesus sends us forth as missionary disciples, he promises to be with us until the end of the age (Mt 28:19–20). On World Mission Sunday, we remember that from Pentecost until today, men and women of faith have responded to that call to leave their homes, go where Jesus sends them, and proclaim the Good News of the Gospel.

As I mention in my letter for World Mission Sunday, our generosity in the World Mission Sunday Collection helps the Holy Father to support missionaries and the missionary work of the Church in areas of the world where that support is most needed. Also, our prayers for missionaries are so important and are truly invaluable.

Participating in our Diocesan Pilgrimage to Washington D.C. and in the Vivere Christus awards were moments of great joy for me as Bishop because they allowed me the opportunity to witness and be inspired (in two days) by so many missionary disciples who generously and faithfully share the faith in our parishes and throughout our diocese. The challenges of sad and heartbreaking news, the “mystery of the Cross,” is part of our journey of faith. When we encounter difficult moments, let us listen to the voice and ask the intercession of St. Pope John Paul II, who will remind us, “Do not be Afraid,” and let us ask the help and intercession of Mary, our Blessed Mother and Mother of the Church, our Queen of Peace.