Lesson 1: Mission Conceptual and Theological Background Lesson Objective: Students will learn vocabulary and concepts to enable them to understand and discuss the Christian notion of mission, especially as it is understood in the Roman Catholic tradition. A. What is mission? Opening Student Activity: Ask students (in pairs, or as a whole group) to think of uses of the word mission they ve heard [ Mission Impossible ; mission statement; the place name Mission, British Columbia (named after St. Mary s Mission, founded in 1861); parish mission (spiritual formation event, often taking place during Lent); mission (a church attached to a parish in the same general district); combat mission; diplomatic mission; peace-keeping mission; space mission; brand name for a variety of things (Mission Hill winery; furniture; roller hockey gear); title of a song by Rush, a Canadian rock band]. Discussion questions: 1. What does the word mission mean? From the examples they have found and additional instances, determine an initial meaning from students. 2. From what language does the English word mission originally come? Mittere (Latin infinitive: to send); mission (Latin noun: a sending ). A mission is a specific task a person or group is sent to accomplish, or a sending for a particular purpose. It could also be the place where such a task is carried out. B. How does the Church understand mission (Part One)? Teacher Speaking Notes (elements of which may also be used for student note-taking): Topic 1: What do we mean by Church? The Church is the Christian Church as a whole, the one Church that Christ intended. Although this exists in the Roman Catholic Church, elements of the one Church of Christ exist also outside the Roman Catholic Church. Our sister churches (the Orthodox, for example) also have all the same sacraments we have, for example. Other Christian communities also have the Scriptures and some sacraments. In what
Page 2 of 10 follows, the Church means the Body of Christ as a whole and everything that is said about it applies to the Roman Catholic Church. Topic 2: Who are Catholics within this one Church of Christ? Catholics are Christians, since they are followers of Jesus Christ. They believe in one God, in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They believe God the Father is the creator of all things, that God the Father, out of an eternal loving intention towards all humanity, sent the Son (Jesus Christ) to take on our human condition (except for sin) and dwell among us, and that, instead of receiving with joy and gratitude the revelation of God Jesus revealed, we human beings crucified Him. Yet, the life Jesus lived out of loving obedience to His Father, even to death, was worthy of resurrection and the testimony (preserved in the oral and written tradition of the Christian Church) of trustworthy witnesses who met the Risen Lord has given Christians the confident hope and conviction that evil, sin and death do not have the last word. Rather, by joining themselves to their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in Baptism, and following with Him along the way of the Cross, Christians have faith that they will enjoy ultimate communion with the one God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the end of time. Until that time, the Church, formed and inspired by the Holy Spirit, remains a vehicle of Christ s active presence in the world. Catholic Christians are ordinary people who come from different cultures, have different vocations or jobs and have different interests. They are united with Christ and other Christians through the aspects of faith they share and in Baptism. B. How does the Church understand mission (Part Two)? Teacher Speaking Notes (Use as a basis for student notes also): The Church understands the tasks of mission as these: a. Proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ in obedience to Him The Church believes it has been sent to tell the whole world about Jesus Christ and to support and further the kingdom or reign of God, which Jesus preached about and made present. So, the Church understands mission as the proclamation of the Gospel or Good News of Jesus Christ to those peoples and cultures who have yet to hear it. The Church calls this work missionary activity or evangelization. When the Church does this, it believes it is obeying Christ and helping to build the kingdom of God which was the subject of much of Jesus teaching. The Church couldn t imagine being anything else but missionary in spirit because it wants to continue what Jesus began. b. Offering the means of salvation to all: the sacraments Not only does the Church preach about Jesus and his message of salvation. The Church is catholic (universal) by nature, providing everyone the opportunity and the means to be saved: to know and experience Christ s healing grace and presence, to be drawn into the one People of God, and to share in the unity or communion of God (Father, Son, and Spirit). This is why the Church is called the universal
Page 3 of 10 sacrament of salvation [Second Vatican Council: The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium), no. 48]. The Church must preach the Gospel to all peoples and cultures, in every age, because its own catholicity (or universality) has its source in God who is Love, who alone can save and who desires the salvation of everyone. Because the Church (the Body of Christ) has itself experienced salvation through Christ alone, and also experienced being formed into one Body of communion with its members and with God, it cannot keep this Good News to itself: it must speak up about Christ, offering to others what Christ has given to it. All the sacraments the Church celebrates, especially Baptism and Eucharist, are gifts of Christ to the Church, and are celebrations in which Christ Himself is made present, as He promised. When the Church baptizes, it is really Christ who baptizes; when the Church celebrates the Eucharist, it is really Christ feeding His flock. Through the sacraments with which the Church has been equipped by God, those who receive them experience the healing and strengthening grace of Christ in their own lives. Although the Church provides the means by which people can be saved, it is not the Church which saves: only God saves. Christ draws all people to Himself, gathering them into relationship and leading them to ultimate communion with God (Father, Son, and Spirit) in one community of faith (which is Christ s Body, the Church). c. Building up the Body of Christ throughout the world in every time Missionaries help a new Christian Church start, grow and mature so that it becomes self-sustaining and can, one day, send out missionaries of its own. In territories and cultures where the Gospel has not yet been proclaimed, this work involves Christian witness, preaching the Gospel, gathering people together into the People of God, establishing and forming Christian communities, and assisting in whatever ways they can to build up the fledgling Church. C. Why does the Church do mission? or Why is the Church missionary by nature? Teacher Speaking Notes (Use as a basis for student notes also): a. Sent because Christ and the Spirit were sent The Church believes Christ Himself was sent by the Father to live among us human beings and to bring about peace and reconciliation with God and communion among all people, and also that the Holy Spirit was sent to inspire the hearts of Jesus followers, to build up the Church in unity, to be the source of all kinds of special graces and gifts in the Church, and to be active in the world. These missions of Son and Spirit have the love of God for humanity at their heart. The Church, too, is missionary in spirit because God has made it so, out of love for all humanity. b. Sent because Jesus gave the Church a command to do so The Church wants to share the saving message of the Good News with others and is impelled to do so because it believes Jesus told it to do this. Just as the first disciples (often called the apostles or the
Page 4 of 10 Twelve ) were sent by Christ, the disciples of the Church today, having encountered Christ personally, receive the same commission. They read and heed their Sacred Scriptures (the written record of the story of God s love for human beings), and faithfully hand on to others the Tradition they have received, which has come down to them from the Apostles. c. Sent because God has made the Church the means of offering Christ, through Whom all people are saved, to the world The Church understands itself to be the universal sacrament of salvation for all nations (Lumen Gentium 48). It is the vehicle through which Christ is made present in the world. The Church does not take this task on by its own will but because it believes it has been given this role by God. d. Sent because the Church s goal is to love others as Christ has loved it The mission of the Church comes from the love or charity of God for all created things. The Church owes her entire existence to the loving activity of the Trinity the Father, Son, and Spirit. Christ, raised from the dead, continues to draw all people to Himself. Christ sent the Holy Spirit upon His disciples, and formed those disciples into a body, which is the Church. It is Christ who continues to be active in leading people to the Church, to unite them with Himself more closely and to nourish them in the Eucharist with His own body and blood (LG, 48). The love the Church s members have received from, individually and communally, spills over into love for all. D. What is the Good News that Catholic Christians are trying to share? Teacher Speaking Notes (Use as a basis for student notes also): Catholic Christians believe that God loves everyone. Faith in the God who loves human beings is the way to spiritual freedom, peace, happiness and eternal life. Catholics also believe the sinfulness of human beings (both the inherited original sin which has wounded our nature, making us want to go our own way rather than follow God s, and the personal sins each one has committed) has damaged the relationship human beings have with God and each other, and that there is a need to restore a right relationship between them and God. We should love God and each other. Catholics believe a right relationship between God and among human beings has been restored in Jesus, who was both fully divine and fully human. Jesus preached obedience to His Father s will and taught people how to live a life under God, inaugurating the kingdom or reign of God. Through His life, death, resurrection and ascension, the possibility and the way for all humanity to enter into perfect communion with God has been opened up to all people. Central in the teaching of the Christian Church is the mystery of the Cross: that Christ loved human beings even to death on a Cross, that He was raised from the dead and restored to life, and now lives as Risen Lord at the Father s right hand. Although begun in Christ, the plan of salvation has not come to completion yet it remains to be fulfilled completely in the future. All things the human race but also the entire world will be restored and re-established in Christ. What is not taken up by Christ is not made whole. Christ promised He would be with Christians until the end of time and this is so through the sacramental life of the Church.
Page 5 of 10 The Holy Spirit, sent by the Father, prepares the Church to meet Christ and enables the Church s members to live from the life of the Risen Lord, prompting them also to proclaim the Gospel. For all Christians, there is no better manifestation of the divine in human form than Jesus Christ and they long for the day when the perfection of holiness and freedom from sin will exist in all its fullness. They are overjoyed that Christ is still with them through the Holy Spirit and actively working to bring all people to Himself. Student Activity for individuals or small groups (Teachers may also choose simply to select passages themselves to illustrate the talking points above): Although the stories of God calling people to fulfill particular tasks are plentiful in the Old Testament (e.g. Jeremiah 1:4-8), Christians hear their call to preach the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ especially in the New Testament. Using Bibles, find and discuss passages in the New Testament where you recognize the call to the mission of the Church described above. Look for themes about proclaiming the Good News, the sacraments, unity among all people, the action of God (Father, Son, and Spirit), the message to be proclaimed, the reasons why the Church feels it must proclaim, the imitation of Christ by his disciples (members of the Church), the life, character and work of a missionary. Note: Not all themes will be present in each Scripture passage. As a class or in groups, consolidate your findings. Display them in a central location or bulletin board as a reminder of our own call to the mission of proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. Proclaiming the Good News Matthew 28.16-20 (Great Commission) Mark 16.14-16 Luke 12.8-12 The Sacraments Matthew 28.16-20 (Great Commission) John 3.1-5 Colossians 1.11-13 (heirs with the saints; reference to baptism) 1 Corinthians 11.23-26 Unity in faith among all people John 11.45-52 Acts 2.43-47 Romans 3.21-26 Ephesians 4.10-16 The action of God (Father, Son and Spirit) Luke 12.8-12 Mark 13.9-13 John 3.16-21
Page 6 of 10 John 14.8-18 Ephesians 1.3-14 Colossians 2.8-15 The message to be proclaimed Mark 1.14-15 Luke 4.14-20 Luke 19.1-10 Mark 10.42-45 John 3.16-21 Acts 4.5-12 Romans 3.21-26 1 Corinthians 15.12-28 Ephesians 1.3-14 Colossians 2.8-15 The reasons why the Church feels it must proclaim Matthew 9.35-38 Mark 3.13-15 Mark 16.14-16 John 20.19-21 Colossians 2.8-15 Hebrews 11.6 The imitation of Christ by His disciples Matthew 9.35-38 Luke 4.14-20 John 20.19-21 1 Corinthians 10.32-33 1 Peter 1.22-23 The life, character, and work of a missionary Matthew 5.13-14 Luke 12.8-12 Mark 10.42-45 Mark 13.9-13 Acts 4.5-12 1 Corinthians 10.32-33 2 Corinthians 5.6-15 2 Corinthians 6.1-10 Ephesians 4.10-16 1 Timothy 2.1-7
Page 7 of 10 E. Who, in the Catholic Church, does missionary work? Teacher Speaking Notes (Use as a basis for student notes also): Everyone, by virtue of being a member of the Church, has a duty to proclaim the Gospel as best they can in the circumstances of their lives. Ordained ministers (bishops, priests and deacons), as well as the lay faithful (including religious sisters and brothers), all preach the Gospel by word and deed, though sometimes in different ways. All Christians share, in their own way, in the priestly, prophetic and kingly offices of Christ. The lay members of Christ s faithful have roles to play in both church and world with respect to their faith. The actions, words and prayers of the laity, as members of the Church, are signs and sources of hope and love to others. The secular world can be viewed as the vineyard into which all the faithful are called to work, fulfilling their mission. Jesus compares His disciples to salt and light when He calls them the salt of the earth and the light of the world (cf. Mt 5.13-14). While each baptized Christian is sent to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, missionaries have a special vocation to do so, especially in the remotest corners of the world. These individuals take up the task of missionary work more intentionally and on a full-time basis. Though often a member of a religious order, a missionary does not have to be ordained or be someone in religious life. The tasks of evangelizing, educating, providing some aspects of spiritual care and other services and training may be taken up by the lay faithful who are neither ordained nor members of religious orders, congregations or institutes. Bishops, as successors of Peter, have a special responsibility to see that missionary work continues. F. How does the Church do missionary work? Student activity 1 (For pairs or small groups): Use a dictionary to research the meaning of some of the metaphors and other descriptive words used in the Sacred Scriptures about the disciples of Christ, and discuss how these meanings contribute to an understanding of how the Church s missionary work is carried out: salt of the earth (what functions does salt have? how might these apply in missionary work?) light of the world (what does light do for the things it shines upon? How does this shed light on the work of a missionary?) servant (what characteristics does a servant have?) fear of the Lord (means respect or reverence, not terror ) (what clue does this give us about the motivation of missionaries in their mission?) conversion of heart (what does conversion mean? Is it a word that indicates some force or violence has been done to the person who is converted?) inheritance/heirs (what is an inheritance? What position does an heir have in a family?) Art Integration: Using imagery or symbols embedded in the Scriptural references, design a poster or banner advertising for vocations in missionary work.
Page 8 of 10 Student activity 2 (For individuals, pairs or small groups): Drawing on examples from the list of missionary tasks below (different groups could take different sections of the list), a. design text messages that might encourage missionaries in their work, or b. create bumper stickers or posters introducing or promoting some aspect of missionary work Language Arts Integration a) Keep a journal of notes as you progress through this curriculum unit to help record your thoughts on the concept of mission and the work of missionaries; b) Write your own parable that could be used to illustrate the concept of mission. Teacher background: All of the following tasks of missionaries have been drawn from the Second Vatican Council s Decree on the Church s Missionary Activity (Ad Gentes). Print sections of the list for students, as required. There is one definite prohibition in missionary work, as follows: The Catholic Church strictly forbids forcing anyone to embrace the Faith, or alluring or enticing people by worrisome wiles [Second Vatican Council: The Decree on the Church s Missionary Activity (Ad Gentes), no. 13]. When trying to proclaim the Gospel to peoples and cultures who have yet to hear it, missionaries should: Respect what is good in what peoples and cultures are already doing - Recognize in the efforts of individuals to find God a preparation for the Gospel. - Look for the truth and grace already present among the nations (in the hearts and minds of people, in the rites and cultures peculiar to them), as a kind of secret presence of God, and work to heal, uplift and perfect whatever good is there already for the glory of God. - Share in cultural and social life. - Become familiar with the national and religious traditions of the people. - Show people where the seeds of the Word lie hidden in their lives and communities. - Reflect on how the Christian religious life might be able to assimilate the ascetic and contemplative traditions, whose seeds were sometimes planted by God in ancient cultures already prior to the preaching of the Gospel. - Look for points of contact between the traditions and religion of a nation and the Christian religion. - Value the riches of a nation s culture Promote human dignity and unity among people - Be a leaven for liberty and progress in human history as well as a leaven of solidarity with others, of unity and of peace, drawn from the mystery of Christ. - Be reconcilers. - Desire unity with other Christians who are also trying to evangelize.
Page 9 of 10 - Have an attitude of mutual love and esteem for Christians of other denominations so that Christian witness may be unanimous, not divided. A divided witness blocks faith for many people. - Be present with the people and part of the life of the community. - Understand that Christ and the Church are for those of every race and nation, not just particular races or nations. - Build community. - Work for the recognition of human dignity and better living conditions for all. - Work with others to make social and economic life better. Work alongside them as they battle famine, ignorance, and disease and try to secure peace. - Offer prudent aid to worthy projects, whether sponsored by public or private organizations, governments, various Christian communities or non-christian religions. - Share in people s joys and sorrows, learn of their longings and problems, suffer with them. Proclaim the Good News of salvation - Proclaim God s loving intention towards all human beings. - Preach the same Gospel in the varied circumstances in which mission is exercised. - Lead people to the faith, freedom and peace of Christ by example, by preaching, by the celebration of the sacraments and other means of grace. - Continue what Jesus started, preaching what He preached, and teaching all people about what He did to save the human race. - Proclaim the Good News out of love of God and others. - Proclaim the Good News, even though God can bring people to faith in other ways. - Awaken in people a yearning for the truth and charity God has revealed. Offer the distinctive message about Christ to peoples and cultures - Enlighten and heal the attempts people have already made to find a way to God. - Look for the truth and grace already present among the nations (in the hearts and minds of people, in the rites and cultures peculiar to them), as a kind of secret presence of God, and work to heal, uplift and perfect whatever good is there already for the glory of God. Build the Church - Plant the Church, help it take root and grow in maturity to the point where it is sustained by its own vitality. - Work to build a congregation of Christians who will become so mature and self-sufficient that they can send missionaries of their own to other nations and cultures. - Offer material support for the growth of the local church. Educate - Educate children and youth. - Teach religious and moral truths.
Page 10 of 10 Be the kind of people who: - Listen to, and obey, the promptings of the Holy Spirit. - Are patient, prudent, and confident. - Are ready for beginnings and setbacks. - Are prepared to proclaim the Gospel in the many varied languages of peoples and cultures. - Abhor evil and seek freedom from the powers of darkness. - Have savvy, discerning the right means and actions for any given situation. - Bear witness by charity and works of mercy. - Have a special concern for the poor and the afflicted. - Are encouraged that missionary work finds its ultimate fulfillment at the end of time. - Have the same mind and motive as Christ. - Show that they are changed persons because of Christ and the power of the Spirit. Student Follow-up Questions: 1. What does it say to you that the word Mass in the Catholic tradition comes from the same Latin word that mission comes from, and that the final words of the Mass in Latin are: Ite, Missa est [Go forth, the Mass is ended; literally, go, it (feminine: perhaps the Church ) has been sent or (better) go, it is the sending or dismissal ]? 2. The new evangelization which is a focus of many dioceses in the world at this time, and which has been inspired by the teachings of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, is about proclaiming the Gospel to peoples and cultures who have heard the message before but whose belief in, and engagement with, the Gospel is burning with very little zeal. How should the Church do its missionary work in this case?