Mission: Bread broken for the life of the world.

23rd Missionary Day

Humanity needs Christ, the "broken bread".«

In our time, human society seems shrouded in dense darkness, shaken by dramatic events and bewildered by catastrophic natural disasters. However, just as it did «"on the night it was delivered"» (1 Color 11, 23), Jesus also today «"break the bread"» (cf. Mt 26, 26) for us and, in the Eucharistic celebrations, offers himself under the sacramental sign of his love for all.

The Redeemer himself, who felt compassion at the sight of the needy multitude, «"for she was weary and worn out, like sheep without a shepherd"» (Mt (9, 36), present in the Eucharist, continues throughout the centuries to manifest compassion for poor and suffering humanity.

And it is in his name that pastoral agents and missionaries travel unexplored paths to bring the "bread" of salvation to all. They are animated by the awareness that, united to Christ, "the center not only of the history of the Church, but also of the history of humanity, it is possible to satisfy the deepest expectations of the human heart.".

Together with Christ, the Church becomes "broken bread".«

When celebrating the Eucharist, especially on Sunday, the Lord's Day, the ecclesial community experiences, in the light of faith, the value of the encounter with the crucified Christ and becomes increasingly aware that the Eucharistic Sacrifice is "for many" (Mt 26, 28). If we nourish ourselves with the Body and Blood of the crucified and risen Lord, we cannot keep this "gift" only for ourselves. On the contrary, it is necessary to spread it.

The missionaries, "broken bread" for the life of the world.

Today, too, Christ commands his disciples: «"You yourselves give them something to eat."» (Mt 14, 16). In his name, missionaries set out for many parts of the world to proclaim and bear witness to the Gospel. Through their actions, they make the Redeemer's words resound: «"I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."» (Jo 6, 35); they themselves become «"broken bread"» for their brothers and sisters, sometimes even to the point of sacrificing their lives.

(St. John Paul II, message of the year 2005)