It is 14th October 2019. We celebrate the memorial of Callistus I. Pope and martyre. The readings are from Romans 1:1-7; and the Gospel from Luke 11:29-32. We all have a mission to accomplish being a witness to our faith. The first reading presents us the mission that is entrusted us all. We are called to bear testimony to what we believe by preaching and being obedient to the Word of God. “Through Him we received grace and our apostolic mission to preach the obedience of faith to all the Gentiles in honour of His name.” (Rom.1:5). St. Paul brings out the dynamism of salvation through the proclamation of Good News. in order to bear witness to the Word of God, we need to take everyone on board. The salvation is universal and not for some privileged recipients only. The responsorial Psalm praises, “The Lord has made know his salvation.” (Ps.97:2). Listening, believing are to accompany our witnessing. Without believing the Word of God and responding it appropriately, our work would be seen as social in dimension not in spiritual in nature. Our witnessing to faith has to penetrate the deepest areas of our lives not settling down with the human power of finding reasons and solutions to human challenges through some external, magical, automatic, cause-and-effect relationship of leaving God purposefully. The passion, death and resurrection of Jesus is the only sign for us the believers; all others are fanciful, passing and temporary without the moisture of salvation. Our witnessing needs to focus on God’s desire to call all those who are far and distant from the Good News of salvation. Jesus is the only sign of our salvation and for this generation. When people of Israel failed to acknowledge the presence of God by not listening and obeying, the visit of the Lord to God’s people by a favourable time of salvation, God opens the arms wide open for those who were far off to experience God’s salvation. The salvation for all is found in the Church through its universality and sacramentality. We are that church who need to bring in all people. We must not engage in acts that divide people or to become an obstacle to the developmental projects of the church because of our selfish, political and personal agenda opposed to God’s plan for God’s people. May the Lord help us to be the witnesses of faith by including and working with all people. May you have a good day. God bless you.

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