The Gospel passage for this Sunday ends with the Great Commission, the final instruction that Jesus gives to the disciples before ascending into Heaven: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19). The words of Jesus are straightforward. We are not to rest until we have brought the Gospel to all the peoples of the world.
But the question arises, has our missionary zeal weakened over the centuries? Are we still on fire with the desire to bring all people to Christ? In discussing the health of the Church, both globally and locally, the phrase "mission vs maintenance" often comes up. The temptation is for us to settle into a pattern of maintenance, where we focus on keeping the status quo going but do not seek growth. But as Pope Francis and many others have emphasized, maintenance is not enough. The Church is to be a Church of mission, always going forth, always proclaiming the Gospel and calling people to Christ.
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Photo Credit: The Church of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives, where Jesus ascended into Heaven by Zoltan Abraham (c) 2016.