The Call to Mission: An Introduction

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Yesterday we celebrated the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord to Heaven, though most of the Christian world would be celebrating the same only on Sunday, thereby replacing the liturgy for the Seventh Sunday of Easter with that of the Ascension.

As we discussed yesterday, the Ascension of the Lord is immediately preceded by the command to go to the ends of the earth and to make disciples of all nations and to baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and of course, to teach them everything that the Lord has commanded and taught. And yes, there was that assurance of His perpetual presence aside from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

In the next five Fridays therefore, under our Pillar of Mission, we shall be discussing these five important aspects of Mission to the nations:

[1] What does the ends of the earth mean, especially for us, Friends of the Lord, and in our time when technology could bring us anywhere without leaving our homes;

[2] How can we make disciples in relation to number 1?

[3] How can we apply the command to baptize in relation to numbers 1 and 2?

[4] What are we going to teach and how shall we teach?

[5] How do we acknowledge the Lord's presence and guidance as we fulfill His command?

Afterwards, we shall also endeavor to discuss more deeply the nature, significance and purpose of Calling [Mission], the One who Calls [God who sends us to a Mission], the Response [the Answer we give to the One who calls], the one being Called [the us who are sent to fulfill the Mission], and the End or Purpose of the Mission.