Why have thousands of Maryknollers dedicated themselves to serving in mission with its challenges for over a hundred years? A similar, basic question is: Why commit one’s life to mission? As Maryknollers place MM (Maryknoll Missioner) after their name, the same two letters could refer to “Mission Motivation.” Indeed: Why be missionary?
Saint Pope John Paul II gave an insightful, succinct answer to this question. In his 1991 mission encyclical, Redemptoris Missio “On the Permanent Validity of the Church’s Missionary Mandate,” he gave a precise foundational answer: “Mission is an issue of faith” (RM 11). Undoubtedly, faith in a loving God lies at the heart of all mission.
Probing deeper into the faith-motivation for mission, one can identify several dimensions of this vocational commitment. First, we Maryknollers engage in mission from a deep sense of gratitude to God who has blessed us with countless spiritual blessings; yes, mission emerges from “grateful hearts”!
Secondly, Jesus in many Gospel narratives commanded us to spread the Gospel. His final words before he ascended into heaven are clear and direct: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 18:19). Missioners are to go to “the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8); they are to be “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Cor 5:10).
A third valid reason for mission is that people need to hear to Gospel; it is the good news of salvation in Christ. A casual look at today’s world illustrates the profound need for the Gospel message of fraternal love to be a leaven in society. But, how will they believe unless missionaries are sent and actually go to preach the Gospel (cf. Rom. 10:14)?
Another motivation for missionary evangelization is that mission is a community response to Gospel imperatives. Individual missionaries need community support in numerous ways: encouragement from fellow missionaries, a support system for both spiritual and material assistance, as well as several additional daily needs.
A fifth reason for mission can be expressed simply: Mission strengthens our faith. Missioners frequently affirm that they have received much more from missionary engagement than what they have given to the people they serve. Ask any Maryknoller about mission and you will hear countless narratives of the “profound enrichment” they have received, especially a deepened faith in God’s marvelous plan for humanity.
These motives were certainly at the basis of the foundation of Maryknoll in the early 1900s. As founder James A. Walsh frequently asserted when he was encouraging his fellow-missionaries: “Go the whole way for Christ.” Truly, at its core, mission is an issue of faith!