As most of you already know, I belong to a Missionary Order called “Missionaries of St. Paul” founded in Nigeria in 1976. With over 350 priests serving in different parts of the world, I feel profoundly blessed to be a part of the missionary endeavor of the universal church. After 9 years of Seminary Formation, I was ordained in 2010 as a missionary priest ready serve wherever there is need, anywhere in the world. I never thought that the ‘Yes’ of 15 years ago would see me in Las Vegas at Holy Family as your Pastor.
Today we celebrate World Mission Sunday with the theme: "Missionaries of Hope Among All Peoples". In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we are called to be missionaries, bearing Christ's light of hope to wherever we are needed. Every baptized is called and sent on mission. Some of us give to the mission by going, while others go the mission by giving. But in some way, we must consciously participate the mission of the church.
The Church exists primarily to evangelize, bringing the message of God’s love to the wounded, hope the despaired, compassion to the abandoned, joy to the downtrodden and above all, bringing the salvation of Christ to the ends of the earth. Yes, some may feel too busy, too unqualified, too afraid to engage in missionary work. But in some tangible way, we are all called to be a part of the mission of the Church.
Today’s second collection goes to support the mission of the Church especially in the challenging mission territories. Our world of today needs hope, especially for the less privileged, in war torn countries, in places where people gather to worship without a roof over their heads, where Christians are persecuted for their faith, where children go to bed in empty stomachs. The Church, you and I, is their only hope.
But beyond giving, today’s celebration is a prompt for interior conversion. May we appreciate what God has blessed us with: freedom of religion, comfortable churches, material comfort, etc., and pray for those who unjustly suffer violence and poverty. Let us as well be missionaries of hope to those around us: bringing love and hope, forgiveness and care, inviting family and friends to the salvation of Christ.
God is Good, All the Time!
Father Tony Udoh, MSP
Pastor of Holy Family
