MISSIONARY INTENTION - The Pope's Missionary Intention for June 2009: “That the particular Churches operating in regions marked by violence may be sustained by the love and concrete closeness of all the Catholics in the world. Commentary.

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – Although all the nations of the earth form one family, and have God as their common origin and destiny, the planet continues to be home to many troubled areas marked by armed violence, at times amongst members of the same country. Amidst these situations, Christians continue to bear witness to the peace of Jesus Christ, although not without their share of great difficulties.
External divisions are a fruit of the division present in the heart of man that, far from God, lead human relationships into a kind of dominion, using another person for selfish exploitation or unjust self-gain.
Jesus Christ is our peace. In His post-Resurrection appearance to His Disciples, He shows them the wounds in His hands and His side, and He tells them: “Peace be with you!” (Jn. 20:21). Jesus has taken upon Himself the violence of sin, in order to transform it through his mercy, in pardon and peace, in unity and communion.
The testimony of service and charity, of forgiveness and reconciliation, are of complete relevance for our world today, especially in these areas of the planet especially marked by rupture, aggression, or division.
The heart of the Christian should be modeled after the Heart of Christ. Saint Paul exhorted the Philippians to have “the same sentiments as Christ.” This obliges us, therefore, not to remain indifferent to the sufferings of our brethren who suffer from war and persecution on account of their faith or ethnic origin.
Benedict XVI points out that thanks to the mass media, we are almost instantly informed of the needs that exist in other parts of the world. This implies “a call, especially in the sense of sharing situations and needs.” And he continues: “Our times call for a new readiness to assist our neighbors in need” (DCE, 30).
Charity cannot remain a mere “compassionate sentimentalism.” We cannot be like those who Saint John in his First Letter says “love only with their lips,” i.e. in words. Charity has to be manifest in works, donation, authentic testimony of Christ's love. The Holy Father points out that this closeness should be “concrete.” When the love of the Church, the Body of Christ, is true and profound, what Saint Paul says takes place: “when one member suffers, all suffer with him” (1 Cor. 12:26). And in order to give a guiding light in how to live charity, the Pope affirms: “On the other hand—and here we see one of the challenging yet also positive sides of the process of globalization—we now have at our disposal numerous means for offering humanitarian assistance to our brothers and sisters in need, not least modern systems of distributing food and clothing, and of providing housing and care. Concern for our neighbor transcends the confines of national communities and has increasingly broadened its horizon to the whole world” (ibid).
Charity is always a living testimony of Christ in the world, a concrete expression of His love for mankind. For many, their greatest poverty is a lack of God in their life. And oftentimes, the hole this leaves causes opposition and divisions.
The Cross of Christ and His glorious wounds are the guarantee for a stable peace. He has demolished the walls of division, from two peoples, forming one alone. There is no longer Gentile or Jew, servant or free, man or woman, because we are all one in Christ Jesus.
To Him, the Prince of Peace, we pray with insistence, that all mankind may join in establishing His Kingdom on this earth, this Kingdom of Justice, Grace, Truth, Love, and Peace. (Agenzia Fides 27/5/2009)