Mission Magazine Autumn 2023

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Editor’s Note:
Hearts on Fire,
Feet on the Move
Dear readers,
As we come to the close of this Autumn edition of MISSION Magazine, I
want to begin by once again thanking you for the support, positive feedback,
and generosity you have shown following the last issue of MISSION Magazine,
which was dedicated to India.
I also thank all those who submitted stories for this edition, particularly those
we couldn’t feature: As promised, however, they will be published on our
website, www.onefamilyinmission.org. It’s been an honor to be overwhelmed
by so many wonderful stories, which I do hope you will continue to send to
contact@missio.org.
As we set to produce this edition, deeply rooted in World Mission Sunday,
which will be celebrated in every single parish in the world on Sunday, October
22nd, Pope Francis’ message for this day, under the theme “Hearts on fire,
feet on the move,” made our work easy. His words draw inspiration from the
encounter of the disciples with Jesus on the road to Emmaus, capturing the
essence of missionary discipleship and its transformative power in our lives.
“Were not our hearts burning within us while He spoke to us on the way
and opened the Scriptures to us?” is what the disciples said to one another
following their encounter with Christ, whom as Pope Francis wrote, “is
Himself the living Word, who alone can make our hearts burn within us, as He
enlightens and transforms them.”
The Pope reminds us of the critical role of the word of God in illuminating
and transforming our hearts. Like the disciples, who experienced a shift from
confusion and dismay to burning hearts, we too are called to let the Scriptures
guide and inspire us on our mission to spread the Gospel where it has yet to
take root.