There is a Lutheran church in Western Washington with a sign at the exit of its parking lot that reads: “You are now entering mission territory.”

Did you know that “Mass” and “mission” come from the same Latin word meaning “to send”? At the end of each Mass we are sent to evangelize - to give witness to “Good News”!

This weekend, World Mission Sunday, we are especially reminded of our baptismal call to extend the mission of Jesus wherever we find ourselves: at home, work, school, and even in our care for others beyond our parish borders. In a sense the whole world is our parish, something which the church reminds us of this Sunday. In every parish at this one time of the year each person is asked to pray and support the mission activity of the church. Parishes in India, Mexico and Burundi unite their prayers and financial gifts, no matter how small, with those of our faith communities in response to the call to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.

Our support can mean that in the poorest areas of our world a church, school or clinic will be built where once there was none. It can mean that lay catechists, novices and seminarians will be clothed, fed and trained to serve others. It can mean that a local church will have the means to engage in religious dialogue, helping to build tolerance and respect among peoples of different faiths.

In his message for World Mission Sunday, 2002, Pope John Paul II writes:

“The evangelizing mission of the Church is essentially the announcement of God’s love, mercy and forgiveness revealed to mankind through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. It is the proclamation of the good news that God loves us and wants all people united in his loving mercy, he forgives us and asks us to forgive others even for the greatest offenses....

Only God’s love, able to make brothers and sisters of people of all races and cultures, can heal the painful divisions, ideological conflict, economic unbalance and violence which still oppresses humanity.”

Let us make the actions of our daily lives, and our participation in World Mission Sunday, be a proclamation of God’s love, mercy and forgiveness. May we be active witnesses to the unity we celebrate at Mass this weekend, and rejoice in being sent to those in need of good news!