Liturgy, Formation, and now . . . mission

This is the last part of a series. You can find part I, II, and III on our website.

Liturgy, Formation, Mission. The three most important components of our Episcopal identity.

This week, Mission is at the forefront of my mind as we commission the team that will visit our partners in mission in Mtoto, Kenya. It happens often that when we talk about Mission, people think about pioneers schlepping bags of Bibles to some remote corner of the world, but for us the word has a much wider meaning. It comes from the Latin verb missio/mittere, which means to send. All Christians are called to mission because all Christians are sent by Jesus who said: go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matt.28:19-20a) We may respond to Jesus’ command in different ways, living out our mission among different communities, yet we are all sent: to offices, schools, hospitals, and shelters, to the centers of power, and to remote villages in Africa - the whole world is our mission field; we are sent to friends and neighbors, to the poor and forgotten, to the wealthy and to those in authority, with the charge of showing them all how to become more like Jesus. We do that by building loving relationships with them and by serving them in whatever way is needed. St. Francis of Assisi famously said “Preach the Gospel at all times, if necessary use words” and we take his words at heart by feeding, sheltering, teaching and mentoring, advising and advocating, providing, and caring for all our brothers and sisters in Christ. By the grace of God we are all given gifts for the common good and empowered for the work ahead of us. No one is exempt, everyone is sent. And we are sent together, in pairs and in groups so that we can support one another and hold each other accountable. And, of course, we are never left to our own human devices, because the very One who sent us promised: And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matt. 28:20b)