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Panama, Sr. Rosmery Castañeda Montoya, May 12th, 2024.- "ALL DISCIPLES, ALL MISSIONARIES" (Synodal Assembly).
Jesus goes to the Father's side and leaves us a task, but he does not say how to do it. God's methodology is not methods but the living way that we lead.
- "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mk 16, 15).
- The Church is invited to go out to meet those who live outside its courts.
- "Sent to transcend borders to revitalize life and mission" (55 G.C.)
PRAYER
Come Holy Spirit, You are the trustworthy source of light and wisdom. Deign to infuse the darkness of my intelligence with the radiance of your clarity, give me the insight to understand, the capacity to assimilate, method and ease to learn, and copious grace to speak. Amen.
Reading (lectio). Read and reread the Gospel slowly and carefully, paying close attention to all the details.
GOSPEL
Mark 16, 15 - 20
And he said to them, 'Go out to the whole world; proclaim the gospel to all creation..Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned..These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues;.they will pick up snakes in their hands and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.'.And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven; there at the right hand of God he took his place,.while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.
Read, slowly
and twice more
the following text:
They went out to preach everywhere, the Lord collaborating with them and confirming the Word with the signs accompanying it.
MEDITATION
Allow what you read to descend to your heart and find a welcome center where it can resonate with all possible vibrations.
V.15 Go to the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to all creation. Jesus sends the disciples "without waiting for them to be ready and well trained: they had not been with Him for long, and yet he sends them. But if they had the experience of the "intimate encounter with him" and trust in their teacher's promises, they are sure that he does not abandon them.
V.17 These signs will accompany those who believe: cast out the demon of division, pride, lies, and meanness. We need to speak the language that reaches people's hearts, a language that convenes, opens doors and creates spaces for dialogue. We are bearers of the Gospel of mercy, and our mission is the weak’s defense, accompanying, encouraging, and strengthening those who suffer from the spirituality of care.
V.19 He was taken up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God. The Ascension of the Lord opens us to a living faith, a deep friendship, and a commitment that changes all fear. They were very successful for the simple reason that they had the assistance of the Holy Spirit.
V.20: “They went out to preach everywhere.” It is essential to have the courage to transcend borders, face risk, reorient presences, change what is necessary, rekindle the fire of the spirit, and overcome borders with the same passion for the gospel and self-denial that Marie Poussepin had to go from Dourdan to Sainville (55 GC).
PRAYER (echoing the Word)
- The apostles did not have a manual on evangelizing; nevertheless, they evangelized.
- The "we don't know" must be changed to "with you, Lord, we can."
- "I also encourage you to go out to the peripheries, to the existential peripheries of today, and to make the word of the Gospel resonate there" (Pope Francis)
- Be "available" and light on luggage to continue Marie Poussepin's mission.
CONTEMPLATE
What does the text lead me to do? To discover with amazement that the Lord's call is grace and, at the same time, is a commitment to set out, to go out, to bring the Gospel. "Risk" – "trust"
THANKSGIVING PRAYER
I need to pray to leap into the mission with joy and the desire that others also benefit from what I am experiencing. But one thing is clear: I cannot be an apostle without being a witness. Help me, Lord.