24. Mission   240 and  Evangeli -zation              

The word mission means being sent (com. on Mt 10:1). Jesus is the One sent by the Father to bring the Good News to Israel (Jn 3:17; 4:34; 6:38; 9:4; 10:36; 17:18 Mt 15:24), to the poor and the afflicted (Is 61:1; com. on Mt 5:1; Lk 7:22). On leaving this earth Jesus sends forth the apostles (Jn 20:21; Mt 28:19; Acts 1:8) and authorizes them with signs of the Holy Spirit (Mk 16:17; com. on Lk 10:1). Apostle means one sent (Lk 6:13). After the Twelve, the Church will keep on sending apostles and missionaries (com. on Lk 5:1). One must be sent by the Church, just as the Twelve were sent by Christ (Mk 3:13; Acts 26:16; 13:2; 19:14).

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The missionary task is the common work of the apostles and the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:26; Lk 24:49; Acts 1:4) who will give witness together with them (Jn 15:26). The Spirit encourages the apostle (1 P 1:12), the apostle’s words later bring the Spirit upon His hearers. Whoever receives the apostles receives the Father and the Son (Lk 10:16).

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The missionaries announce the Gospel (that is the Good News). In the words of Jesus, the Good News means the coming of the Kingdom of God (see 110-116) and it is accompanied by the many cures that Jesus works (com. on Mt 9:35; Lk 7:22). In the words of the apostles, the Good News means the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel (Acts 13:32). It is the gift of forgiveness and the gift of the Spirit (Acts 2:38; 3:26; 10:43; 13:38). The Good News is all about the coming of Jesus (MK 1:1) which brings us peace (Acts 10:36, Eph 2:14). For Paul the Gospel is God’s plan of salvation for all (Rom 15:9; Eph 3:6) which centers on the death and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor 15:1). It is a power that conquers the world (Rom 1:16; Col 1:6).

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Preaching the Gospel, when it is welcomed, brings repentance (Acts 2:37-38; 3:19; 17:30; 26:20) and conversion (Mt 4:17; Mk 6:12 and 182). People see their sinful situation in a lost world (Acts 2:40; 3:26) and believe in the forgiveness God offers them through Christ (Acts 5:31 and 160-164). This conversion of the heart and of the innermost being is different from giving up only one’s vices (see com. on Lk 3:7 and 7:24). It is the work of God (Ezk 36; 1 K 18:37; Rom 2:4). On the other hand, when preaching is rejected, people and societies are ruined (Mt 11:20; 12:41; Mk 16:16).

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To evangelize is not only to announce the Gospel, but to make it Good News which frees a person in concrete circumstances of life (com. Mt 28:16). The Gospel means a healing of the whole human person. Liberation from religious prejudices (Col 2:16-22; Gal 4:8-11) and from social barriers (Gal 2:11). It brings about a renewal of the whole culture and a radical criticism of the social order (1 Cor 7:17-24). It leads to maturity in judgment and in relationships with others (Eph 4:14; 22-32).

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Those who announce the Gospel become witness of Christ (Acts 1:8; Jn 15:27); the faithfulness after Jesus (Rev 1:5; 3:14) who comes to the world to give testimony of what He has heard from the Father (Jn 1:18; 3:11) and of who He is (Jn 8:13; 1 Tim 6:13); the apostles, in their turn, give witness to Him (Jn 15:17; 20:21). Through their testimony, it is God who gives testimony (1 Jn 5:9).

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Martyr, in Greek, means witness. Someone who has suffered and given his or her life to remain faithful to his or her testimony is called a martyr (Rev 2:13; 6:9; 11:3; 17:6; Mk 13:9 and com. on Mt 10:16). Due to the devil’s hatred for the Church, there will be many martyrs (Rev 17:6). They are the true victors of the world (Rev 12:11).