MISSION IS THE WORK OF ALL GOD'S PEOPLE

VATICAN CITY, OCT 22, 2000 (VIS) - In St. Peter's Square at 10 a.m. today in the presence of 70,000 faithful, John Paul II presided at a Eucharistic celebration marking World Mission Day. In his homily, the Pope highlighted that mission "is the work of all God's people, each in the vocation to which Providence calls them."

"Missionary commitment," said the Pope, "arises as a flame of love from the contemplation of Jesus and from the fascination He emanates." He affirmed that Jesus "did not come to be served but to serve and to give His own life for all. In Christ's footsteps, the giving of self to all men constitutes a fundamental imperative for the Church and, at the same time, indicates the method for her mission. The giving of self means, above all, recognizing others, their value and their needs."
The Holy Father recalled the numerous missionaries "who, day after day, in silence and without the support of any human power, announce and bear witness to their love for Jesus, often to the point of giving their lives, as also happened recently."

He continued: "Jesus' words on service are also the prophecy of a new style of relationship that must be promoted not only in the Christian community, but also in society. ... Unregulated competition, the desire to dominate others at all costs, the discrimination practiced by some who feel they are superior to others and the unbridled search for riches lie at the roots of injustice, violence and war. The words of Jesus become, then, an invitation to invoke peace."

Prior to finishing his homily, the Pope said: "Finally, I would like to recall the words I pronounced in this square 22 years ago: 'Do not be afraid! Open the doors to Christ!'"

At the end of Mass, the Pope consigned crosses to a number of missionaries whom he encouraged to go out into the world courageously, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, full of hope and with passion for the Gospel.

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