October 23. 30th Sunday of Year C  Mission Sunday.  Being a missionary himself Fr Pius spoke strongly about the importance of this day.  “There are over 1000 mission dioceses around the world and they all have many mission parishes. Apart from that Pope Francis reminds us that we are all missionaries. We acknowledge that too through our October theme, “Families on Mission” Pope Francis message for Mission Sunday 2022. Let us reflect deeply on the three key phrases that synthesize the three foundations of the life and mission of every disciple: “You shall be my witnesses”, “to the ends of the earth” and “you shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit”.  Dear brothers and sisters, I continue to dream of a completely missionary Church, and a new era of missionary activity among Christian communities

Fr Pius half jokingly added, thinking about the readings of the Sunday. “Isn’t it funny that in the 2nd reading Paul is kind of boasting about his own achievement in fighting the good fight, and then in the gospel Jesus criticizes the Pharisee who boasts about himself and commends the humble man who stood back and didn’t dare raise his eyes to heaven.  I’m sure all families have a problem with this, dealing with self-esteem but keeping a balance between acknowledging what is good and not bragging. In the first reading the wise man, Sirach, tells us. Scripture: “the Lord will not show partiality in the case of a poor man; and he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged.  Sirach 35:12.   

All that should give you something to think about at home.  It is important for Christians to show their love by the way they treat family members less knowledgeable about the faith, weak or less sure in their convictions.  At times the opposite occurs: the supposedly mature believers within the family become unbearably arrogant. AL 98