Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The call to mission has its initiative in God himself, who from all eternity decided to call men and women to live his very own life. The implementation of this plan involves various stages from creation and, through the intermediate stage of the choosing of the Jewish people, down to the constitution of the Church and the work of the Incarnate Son of God.
With creation God call man and the world to life, which is why mankind has a special relationship with Him and shares his life Dio: “This participation is not imposed, it is offered as a prize for observance of the pact: abstention from eating of the forbidden fruit. Man's freedom to start a dialogue with God and to sign with him a covenant are part, since the 'beginning' of what is called imago Dei. In hits initial pact, man is equal to God with regard to freedom. However our first parents, making bad use of freedom, broke the pact of the covenant, with grave consequences: loss of communion with God, loss of peaceful rule over nature, control of instincts and passions, of innocence and immortality” (A. Garuti, “Il mistero della Chiesa” - Manuale di ecclesiologia, Roma 2004, pag. 122-123).
In the preparatory stage of the Old Testament Jahwé calls his people and stipulates with them a covenant (berit) which renders Israel a " you, out of all peoples, shall be my personal possession" (Ex 19, 5), "his own people" (Dt 26, 18) and promises fidelity (hesed), further illustrated with the metaphors of shepherd and spouse which describe Israel as "flock of his pasture " and "bride" (cf. Ps 79, 13; 95, 7, 100, 3; Is 40, 11; Jer 23, 2; Ez 34, 1-31 etc). God is presented purposely as Father (cf. Dt 32, 5; Os 11, 1.3) and Israel is his son (cf. Os 11, 1), indeed his firstborn (cf. Es 4, 22). From the original meaning 'am ne it derives that Israel constitutes "God's family".
Despite its individualistic mentality closed to any universalism, Israel is called to a mediation of salvation for all peoples: to the extent in which is it presented as “the” people of God and “the” servant of God, and the royal, prophetic priestly mediator of salvation.
The fidelity of Jahwé meets the infidelity of the people, whom He however does not abandon but continues to call through his intermediates, the prophets, who speak and act in his name, and can therefore be considered the first “missionaries”, since they are sent by Him (“apostles”) to lead his people to keep the covenant and benefit from his offering of salvation.
Therefore in the Old Testament mission is both calling and sending. The call always comes in view of a mission. The chosen people becomes a witness who makes known the existence and saving presence of the One God (cfr. Is, 41, 19; 43, 10, 56, 3; Ji 1, 2ss).
The awaited Messiah himself is foretold by the prophets as the one who will be sent to announce the good News to the poor (cfr. Is 61,1), the one whom all men will obey (cfr. Mal 3,1).
In the fullness of time the Father sent his Son, “the apostle of the Father” and the “missionary” and “the one sent by God par excellence” of whom the prophets spoke (cf. Lk 4 17 - Is 61, 1): his mission is different from the mission of the Old Testament prophets, because he is “the Son of God” (cf. among others Mk 1, 1ss; 12, 2ss), who to achieve the plan of the Trinity for salvation, came into the world as “saviour”, as “offering” for our sins, that we might “have life” through him (cf Gal 4, 4; Rom 8, 15), and establishes the Church “ universal sacrament of salvation ” (LG 48).
Also in the New Testament mission implicates calling and sending, beginning with Christ himself, who “came from God” (Jn 8, 42), pitched his tent among us (Jn 1, 14), and rightly makes his own the words of the Servant: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He sent me the carry the good news to the poor ” (Lk 4, 18).
In turn, Christ, sent by the Father, (cfr. Jn 6, 43; 8, 42) chooses and sends the Twelve to continue his mission: he chose Twelve to be with him and to send them to preach.
In fact Christ conferred the mandate he received on the Twelve, who become his "Apostles", or his missionaries: "As the Father sent me so I send you" (Jn 20, 21); "Go therefore and make disciples of all peoples" (Mt 28,18). By virtue of this mandate the Apostles have the duty to spread Jesus' salvific - sacramental love, di to bear witness to faith in Him, to announce his Gospel to all men and women».
The Mission of the Twelve is participation, extension and continuation of Christ's own mission. From the Apostles this same mission passes to the Church with the same characteristics of universality (cfr. Jn 15,16). By virtue of this mandate the Apostles set out to share the hope which had totally transformed their life. (3 - continua) (Agenzia Fides 13/11/2007; righe 56, parole 867)
