Chapter III.

Doing Mission Today: Contexts, Issues, and Methods

Introduction
Doing mission today has to dialogue with a changed and constantly changing
context. The Church's message of God's love becomes meaningful only if it touches
the present experiences of people. The Church is duty-bound to study and
understand these contexts.
Lesson 1. Nature of today's missionary context
Context

The problems and issues of our present society are different

from those of the past. The progress in science and the advances in
technology and communication have changed our world so much.
In this changed world, we too, have to re-adjust our understanding
of mission and how to do mission. What follows suggests how the
early Church did its mission within a paricular context.
Inspired Word
Text: Jesus Sends the Seventy-two (Lk 10:1-12).

During the time of Jesus, one enemy of the sheep and shepherds
were the wolves. In several parts of the New Testament narratives,
these wolves are mentioned. When the missionaries in the early
Church were sent on a mission, there was always this thought of
possible persecution by unbelievers, and the difficulties arising from
being a stranger in a foreign land and preaching something that
may have contradicted local beliefs. The Gospels reflect this
situation where early missionaries were always in danger. This
danger remains even today, although it might have taken other
forms because of a changed situation. Yet, as Jesus assured those
whom he sent before and us today, the mission can be done
notwithstanding.
Church Teaching
1. Largely globalized world
a. On the economic aspect
- increase in global/ national income and productivity
- concentration of wealth and power in a few
- Unjust distribution of wealth
- deprivation and impoverishment of the poor and marginalized
b. On human development/ rights
- disenfranchisement of peoples
- religious and ethnic fundamentalism
 - exclusion of certain groups
2. Highly technological
a. Impact of technological developments on the life of individuals and
communities
- challenge to traditional ways of life and values
- marginalization of the masses
- machines take over labor
b. Use of mass media in evangelization: possibilities, challenges, issues
- fast and wide spread of knowledge, pseudo-knowledge, and
outright fake news
- information overload
- digitization

3. Poverty in the face of affluence

a. Roots/ causes: Corruption, unequal distribution of resources,
unemployment
b. poverty and its many evil effects
c. poverty as global phenomenon
4. Religious extremism and intolerance
a. Roots/ causes: Religious, economic, political
b. Threats to freedom and human existence: can lead to terrorism,
poverty, and war
5. Ecological destruction
a. Roots/ causes
b. Impact of ecological destruction on human life
Missionary Response
In a changed and changing situation, we are called to be “wise as a
snake and gentle as a dove.” We are called to “read the signs of the times”
and do our mission with discernment and wisdom. We do this by:
1. Reading and listening to the news and being updated with what is
taking place in our society because, as the Book of Proverbs says,
“knowledge is the beginning of wisdom”;
2. Practice telling the truth and standing for what is true and just in all
situations; and
 3. Taking regular time for silence, prayer, and reflection on the
burning issues of society and the Christian responsibility to take
action.

Lesson 2. Missionary Call and Engagement

Context

Inspired Word
Text: Paul’s “no gentile, no Jew; no slave or free....” (Galatians 3:26-29)
In ancient times, so much was at stake in the distinction
between gentile and Jew, women and men, slave and free men.
Always, the gentile, the women, and the slave are at the receiving end
of oppression in society. Yet Paul writes that in Christ Jesus, everybody
is equal because we have been given the same Spirit and we are all
sons and daughters of God. Because of this basic equality, our
differences cannot be the source of division and discrimination. Rather,
these should enrich the community because of the variety of talents
and charisms that flow from such differences.

Church Teaching
1. Mission and Dialogue of Life
a. The fact, beauty, and challenges of difference: Paul's “unity in
diversity”
b. Nature and principles of dialogue of life

Missionary Response
We can engage in a dialogue of life by:
1. Not making fun of the beliefs and practice of another who is
different from us in terms of religion, culture, and upbringing;
2. Showing an accepting attitude towards those who are different from
us;
3. Our openness to ideas and perspectives different from ours; and
4. Joining ecumenical activities like prayers and actions for the good of
the community.

Lesson 3. Mission and Culture

Context
 All of us belong to a culture and all cultures have their own
uniqueness. Cultural differences are important because we can learn from
them. In the encounter between cultures, both are enriched. Perhaps, this
was what happened when Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman.

Inspired Word
Text: Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

The story of the meeting of Jesus and the Samaritan woman mirrors
the long-running hostility between the Samaritans and the Jews. Originally,
both people belonged to similar traditions but because of historical
circumstances, the two developed along separate directions. The result was
that Jews looked down on Samaritans because they were supposed to be a
mixed race. Of course, the Samaritans did not like this and responded in kind.
This hostile relationship remained even up to the time of Jesus so that the
disciples were shocked to find Jesus talking to a Samaritan, and a woman at
that. But Jesus did not see the cultural and gender divide as a reason for not
relating in a humane way with others. As it was his usual way, he breached
the wall of division to reach out to the other in charity and openness. Such is
the missionary way.
Church Teaching
1. Notions of culture
a. Empirical vs. classical
b. Vatican II understanding of culture
2. Relationship between faith and culture
a. Culture as integral aspect of being human
b. Culture as the ground where faith grows and flourishes
c. Necessity of inculturation and interculturation
- Dialogue between faith and culture
- Dialogue between and among cultures
Missionary Response
As missionaries, we are called to dialogue with others in the following ways:
1. Avoiding the tendency to look down on and make fun of other
cultures by our words and gestures;
2. Cultivating the attitude of openness to the ways our classmates
look at things differently because they come from different
backgrounds;
3. When dealing with others, always put in mind that there are
many cultures, and that they have their own logic and wisdom;
 4. Participate in forums, talks, presentations which have to do with
culture to widen our cultural knowledge and appreciation.

Lesson 4. Mission and Ecology

Context
Activity
You might have realized how fragile our world is. So much
destruction is happening bringing sufferings to many people all over
the world. Treating our material environment as mere object of profit
and exploitation goes against the spirit of the Christian scriptures.
Inspired Word
Text: Paul’s “the whole of creation is groaning ...” (Rom. 8:18-22)

It may be anachronistic to say that the Bible addresses

environmental issues because there were none during the ancient
times. But it is valid to draw from this text of Paul an insight that can
be the pattern for today’s relationship with nature. This insight is the
realization that human beings are not separate from the rest of
creation. In fact, we are, in a very real sense, part of the created order.
We are dependent on other creatures for our survival such that their
destruction spells ours. This solidarity means our salvation entails the
salvation of the material world, and vice versa.
Church Teaching
1. Integrity of creation
a. The web of life: we are interconnected and salvation is for the whole
of creation.
- The sun is our brother, the moon our sister (St. Francis of
Assisi)
- All of creation will be set free (Rom. 8:21-22)
b. Human solidarity with the rest of creation
- Creation as kapwa-kalikasan
- Common origin and destiny (Gen. 1; Rom. 8)
c. The earth as home
2. Sustainable development and inter-generational responsibility
a. A more holistic understanding of development
- economic/ material
 - socio-political
- spiritual
b. Seriously taking responsibility for the future generations
- focus on the sustainability of resources
3. The Sapat Principle as an ecological moral imperative vs.
a. consumerism
b. materialism
c. wastefulness
d. unbridled desire for profit
Missionary Response
As missionaries united with the whole of creation, the following are
what we can do to save our only home in this life:
1. Plant trees, save energy, segregate waste, recycle, buy only
what we can consume to avoid wastage, etc.;
2. Join advocacy movements for clean and green environment;
3. Always prefer to buy products that are environmentally friendly;
and
4. Write letters to newspapers regarding environmental issues to
help raise public awareness and create passion for
environmental protection among the public.