Fr. Albertus Herwanta, O. Carm
The Mission Sunday readings remind us what mission truly means. The first reading shows that God's salvation is for all nations (Isaiah 2:2). He chooses people to become His missionaries (Isaiah 2:3). Saint Paul's letter stresses the urgency of sending missionaries. They preach the Good News so that people can hear it, believe, and be saved (Romans 10:14-17).
Matthew's Gospel affirms Jesus' command to all His followers. They are to go, preach the Good News, and baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20). This command is not optional. It is the very heartbeat of the Christian life. A mission is not simply a task we perform. It is who we are. How do I experience my identity as a missionary?
I am the fruit of a mission. Three days after my birth, I was baptized in a Catholic family. My mother was baptized in a Catholic boarding school run by Dutch sisters, who were missiona-ries.
She later brought my father to the Catholic Church before marrying him. Thus, my mother was a missionary to my father. She also passed on the Christian mission to me.
Through baptism, I was born a missionary because I was united with Jesus Christ. He is the missionary who came from heaven to the world. This union is not merely symbolic. It plants a mission deep within my identity. To be a Christian is to carry a mission in every cell of my being.
In my childhood, I lived as a missionary among Muslim people. As a Catholic, I brought a message of love and forgiveness to my neighbors. Even so, they questioned, challenged, and even mocked me. For example, they challenged my belief in the Holy Trinity and how I could explain it, since they thought I worshiped three gods.
As a child, I couldn't answer. Yet I got along with them without fear. My young faith became a quiet witness. I did not need to preach loudly. My presence and kindness spoke the Gospel in its own way.
At sixty-two, I was sent to Hong Kong. It continued my missionary journey. I had to leave my family and my country. I could imagine the challenges Dutch Jesuit missionaries faced in Indonesia: cultural barriers, the legacy of colonialism, and learning a new language and culture. I had to do the same. Yet the mission pressed forward because it was rooted in my Christian identity.
Learning both language and culture is essential for spreading the Gospel effectively. This sacrifice is real. But it flows naturally from the heart. As a Christian missionary, I do not remain comfortable. I am always required to move outward toward others.
One more factor helps the mission achieve its goal. It is the language of love. Love is a universal language that people easily understand. I receive a warm welcome when I practice the language of love. Words alone cannot carry the Gospel. Only love conveys those words and their power.
What should I do then? My response must be prayer: May God grant me love so that I may become His missionary wherever He sends me. (*)