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IN
THIS ISSUE:
Cover
Page
by Bro.
Pete Lapid
SPECIAL FEATURE:
Place
of Refuge
By
Philip Yuson
Sharing
By
Liza Caleda
Our
Faith
By Fr.
KJ Veeger, MSC
Surabaya
Corner
By
Ramon Martillano
Sharing
By
Carolle Bautista
Here's
the Latest
By
Tintin Magbitang
Reflection
Homily
by
Fr.
Martinus
God
Answers Prayers
By
Beth Manibog
Saint
for the Month
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 - PROFILE
OF THE
- GENESIS
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
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REFLECTION
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29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year
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A Summary of the
Message of the Holy Father
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For World Mission Sunday 2002
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October 20, 2002
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This World Mission Sunday
I wish to bring to you the summary of the Holy Father’s
mission message. The evangelizing mission of the Church is the
announcement of God's love, mercy and forgiveness revealed to mankind
through Jesus Christ. God loves us and wants all people united in His
loving mercy, He forgives us and asks us to forgive others even for
the greatest offences. This is the fundamental content of Mission Sunday: “Mission
is Proclamation of Forgiveness”.
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This proclamation of forgiveness is ever more urgent
because the number of those who do not know Christ and do not belong
to the Church is constantly on the increase. We are all aware of the
horrible wars and revolutions, which bloodied the last century.
However there also is a longing of men and women who have a deep
thirst for God and for His loving mercy.
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In the Cross, God revealed to us all His love. The
Cross introduces us to the fullness of Christian life and perfect
love, because it reveals God's longing to share with mankind His very
life, His love, His holiness. Contemplating the Cross we learn to
live with humility and forgiveness, peace and communion. The cry of
Jesus on the Cross (Matthew 27:46) is not the anguish of a desperate
man, it is the prayer of the Son who offers His life to the Father for
the salvation of all mankind. From the Cross Jesus shows the
conditions which enable us to forgive. To the hatred of His
persecutors, Jesus responds with a prayer, forgiveness, love, wanting
their good and intercession for them. The total forgiveness of
Christ, also for His persecutors, is the beginning of the new justice
of the Kingdom of
God
for everyone.
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The Risen Christ gives peace to His disciples. The
Church, faithful to the Lord's command, continues to proclaim and
spread His peace. Through evangelization believers help people to
realize that we are all brothers and sisters, as pilgrims on this
earth, although on different paths. The main road of mission is
sincere dialogue. Dialogue speaks to others with respect and
understanding, proclaiming with love the most profound truths of the
faith which are joy, hope and meaning of life.
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Dialogue is linked closely with readiness to forgive. A
person who forgives opens the hearts of others and learns
to love and understand others, entering into harmony with them.
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Because the act of pardoning, after the example
of Jesus, challenges and opens hearts, heals the wounds of sin and
division and creates real communion. The celebration of Mission Sunday offers everyone an opportunity for self-examination on the
demands of God's infinite love. We are called to pray assiduously for
the Missions and to cooperate with every means in the Church's
activity all over the world to build up the
Kingdom of
God.
“A kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a
kingdom of justice, love and peace”.
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Let us entrust this commitment to proclaim the Gospel
and indeed the whole evangelizing activity of the Church to our Most
Holy Mary, Queen of Missions. May she accompany us on our journey of
discovering, proclaiming and witnessing to the love of God who
forgives and gives peace to mankind.
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To all missionaries throughout the world, to those who
accompany them with prayers and fraternal help, to Christian
communities of ancient and new foundation, I gladly send my Apostolic
Blessing, invoking upon you all the unfailing protection of the Lord.
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From the
Vatican, 19 May 2002, Solemnity of Pentecost.
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JOHN PAUL II
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A true story:
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On May 13, 1981, the day of the commemoration of the
apparition of Our Lady of Fatima, the Pope had a General Audience at
St. Peter's Square. Thousands of believers congregated to pray with
the Pope. When the Pope was on an open top car, while he was circling
and blessing lots of people, he was suddenly hit by a gunshot. He
fell immediately and was rushed to the hospital to receive medical
help.
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A person, named Mehmet Ali Agca, was arrested and lots
of witnesses pointed him as the gunman. When the Pope has recovered
from his hospital bed he said, “pray for the brother who shot me, whom
I have sincerely forgiven”. He even requested the person not be
punished. When the Pope fully recovered and was discharged from the
hospital he immediately visited Mehmet Ali Agca in prison. There,
privately, heart to heart, direct to the gunman the Pope gave his
forgiveness.
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This is the Pope’s good example, the head of our
Church, how to follow Jesus’ proclamation of forgiveness. How about
we, as father, mother, children, teenager, youth, as employees, in our
daily lives, how do we practice our mission to proclaim forgiveness?
Do we proclaim and practice this forgiveness?
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