World Mission Sunday

In this Year of the Laity, as declared by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the celebration of World Mission Sunday takes a more poignant significance. Now, the support for the mission is not only a matter of material donation, tucked into some brown envelop; it is a call to a donation of self, a commitment for all Christians, especially lay people, to go on mission.

And what better models for the Filipino Catholics than our two most eminent kababayans, San Lorenzo Ruiz and San Pedro Calungsod, whose heroic and holy lives, are sterling examples of lay mission! They carried their faith to distant lands, and dared to offer their lives in martyrdom.
In our time, with the phenomenon of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), the reality of expatriation by reason of socio-economic opportunities and gains adds a dimension of bringing their faith, beyond Philippine shores, and sharing their sound and solid values of faith in God, devotion to family, natural friendliness and hospitality, joyful simplicity, unyielding patience, inextinguishable hope. These become our true “donations” to mission, our witness of life.

This Year of the Laity calls and challenges us to dare to be brave. By our prayers and good works, let us heed this.