Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) - "The Lord called us and gave us the gift of baptism, through which we were born into the new life in Christ", reports to Agenzia Fides Brazilian Friar Valmir Ramos OFM, General Definitor of the Order of the Friars Minor, in reference to the theme of reflection proposed by "Missio-Italia" (the Italian direction of the Pontifical Mission Societies) for the first Sunday of the Extraordinary Missionary Month of October 2019. On the first Sunday of the month, on 6 October, the faithful are called to think of vocation. The Missio Foundation, the pastoral body of the Italian Bishops' Conference, offers food for thought for the animation of the Sunday Eucharistic celebration in October. "Each of us - says Friar Ramos - is a mission: we are instruments in God's hands to build his kingdom and fulfill his will. We are called, first of all, to rediscover the missionary meaning of our adherence to faith in Jesus Christ", he highlights an interview with Agenzia Fides.
Living with the sense of a mission means being aware of being called by the Lord to bring his love to all those around us: "It is not a question of preparation, nor of possessing certain exceptional conditions for the apostolate - explains friar Ramos - it is simply a matter of accepting the call of Christ, of opening up to his gift and responding to it with his own life". "Perhaps this is why - he continues - Pope Francis wanted to remind us, in the words of Saint Paul, that the Lord has chosen each of us "to be holy and immaculate before Him in charity".
Thus all men are the fruit of a call and our life consists in a mission in the world and for the world: "The Lord has called us and sends us into the world to share with all the Salvation we have received. Every baptized person - concludes Friar Valmir - has the task of being a witness to the message of the Gospel, which is love, mercy and full life for all men". (ES) (Agenzia Fides, 5/10/2019)
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