READINGS FOR THE 29TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C, SUNDAY, 19TH OCTOBER, 2025. (MISSION SUNDAY).
First Reading: Exodus 17: 8-13
Psalm: 120
Second Reading: 2 Timothy 3: 14, 4:2
Gospel: Luke 18: 1-8
REFLECTION BY FR CORNELIUS NWAOGWUGWU, CM.
THE INSEPARABLE NATURE OF MISSION AND PRAYER.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Welcome to the Twenty Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C. Today, we celebrate the World Mission Sunday. This celebration is an annual event in the Catholic Church. On this day, we gather to celebrate the Eucharist and to contribute to a collection for the work of evangelization around the world. This celebration gives us a chance to reflect on the importance of mission work for the life of the Church. It reminds us that we are one with the Church around the world and that we are all committed to carrying on the mission of Jesus Christ.
Considering very many unprecedented circumstances of our time, there is a need for us to be untiring in prayer as we carry out our missions. Prayer is the key to every success in life. Jesus recognized this fact and put it into practice. Jesus started with prayer and ended with prayer. This shows that prayer is the master key for a successful mission. In respect of this teaching, my reflection focuses on the inseparable nature of Mission and Prayer.
Mission Sunday was instituted in 1926 by Pope Pius XI. Since 99 years, the universal Church has dedicated the month of October to reflection and prayer for the missions. Inspired by Pope Leo XIV’s Message for Mission Sunday, 2025, I realised that Mission is not a task we perform. Mission is the echo of God’s heartbeat in the world. Pope Leo in his Message reminds us that prayer and mission are inseparable. Prayer is the soul of mission and mission is the body of prayer. When we pray, we do not escape the world; we enter it more deeply, seeing with God’s eyes, aching with God’s compassion.
In his message, Pope Leo recalls his time in Peru, where he witnessed how faith and generosity on Mission Sunday transformed entire communities. This is not sentiment, it is sacrament. Mission is not about going far; it is about going deep. It is the courage to love where love is absent, to speak hope where silence reigns. Prayer is not passive. Prayer is the fire that fuels the missionary spirit. It opens us to God’s call and sends us forth, not always to distant lands, but often to the neighbour next door. Mission Sunday is a reminder that we are all missionaries of hope. In every act of kindness, every whispered prayer, we participate in God’s great outreach to humanity.
Today, Sunday 19 October, 2025, we gather in the presence of God our Father who loves each one of us dearly. We are urged to participate in this Mass in such a way that we may become better able to live out the Father’s love for us in our call to be missionaries of hope. God is the centre of our mission. Our love for mission must be linked with faith, prayer, humility, gratitude and goodwill. In support of these key elements of mission, the Book of Ecclesiasticus, says: “The man who with his whole heart serves God will be accepted, his petitions will carry to the clouds. The humble man’s prayer pierces the clouds.” (Ecclesiasticus 35:12-14, 16-19). “The man who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18: 9-14) “The humble shall hear and be glad.” (Psalm 32). To be able to perceive God’s call for mission, it suffices to have a heart that is alert and open, filled with the light of faith inspired by prayer.
Jesus revealed to us the importance of prayer by teaching us the way to pray and the dispositions to prayer. In prayer, we enter into a deep relationship with God our creator. This relationship is very important because we are God’s creatures. We cannot live independent of our creator. Prayer connects us to God. Prayer establishes our relationship with God. In God’s family, we cannot do anything effectively without Him. Jesus knocks on the door of families, to share with them the Eucharistic supper. (Revelation 3:20).
There are different principles of prayer. For the purpose of this reflection, permit me to highlight four of them. First, we must pray with faith. Second, we must pray with the right intention. Third, we must pray with perseverance. Fourth, we must pray with humility.
These four principles of prayer are strongly highlighted in the scriptures. In the Book of Exodus, Moses had to pray perseveringly and with faith to ensure the victory of Israel over the Amalekites. (Exodus 17:8-13). In the Gospel of Luke, we hear Jesus giving us the parable of the woman who continually calls on the judge to hear and answer her petition. Jesus told his disciples this parable to show the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. (Luke18:1-8).
The above scriptural readings reveal that being persistent, constant and untiring in prayer is important for the missions. God is untiring in trying to reach us, untiring in trying to come into our hearts. Time and again, Jesus tells us that we should pray, pray a lot, pray often and be untiring in turning to God. We are encouraged to pray always and never to lose heart. God listens to our prayers especially when we pray with faith, humility and right intensions. We are invited to continue to pray individually and collectively with faith, perseverance and accept what God gives us in his own time.
Like Mary, we are urged to be a person of prayer and untiring in our mission to restore hope. A person of prayer is one who is untiring in asking for God’s Divine Mercy for himself and for our world. In support of this teaching, St. Vincent de Paul said, “Give me a person of prayer and such a one will be capable of accomplishing anything.” Pope Francis urges us to “pray as a family, to make our homes the joyful face of the Church.” St. Maximilian Kolbe observed that “the deadliest poison of our times is indifference. And this happens, although the praise of God should know no limits. Let us strive, therefore, to praise Him to the greatest extent of our powers.” Hence, we should not be afraid to pray as we go on our missionary activities because we know that God is with us. God is near us. He is one with us.
As we celebrate this Year the Jubilee of hope, let us pray. Let us go and become the missionaries of hope. I wish you all a peaceful and joyful celebration of this year’s Mission Sunday full of hope and God’s abundant blessings.
May God of hope fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in Him, so that we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
Rev. Fr. Cornelius Nwaogwugwu, CM.