Alain Mayama, C.S.Sp

In entitling this year’s conference “Mission as Dependence on God,” SEDOS affirms a fundamental truth: God is the proprietor of all mission — its origin, its initiator, and its sustainer. From this understanding flows our shared responsibility to embody the essential dimensions of the Missio Dei. Thus, to speak of mission as dependence on God is also to reject every form of false autonomy that displaces God at the center of human history.

The image of God who goes out of Himself, creates and then redeems all things, who is in solidarity with every human condition. God’s option for the poor unfolds concretely in the life of the Church as communion and shared mission. The Church is invited to have the same attitude that was in Christ Jesus, and thus to serve humanity, every existential periphery, as the Lord did. It is a diaconal Church, sign and instrument of communion with God and with all peoples.

The authentic Christian mission emerges from the theology and praxis of Christian Mission rooted in hospitālitās – a mission of reciprocity: giving and receiving is at the heart of the human encounter, with the needed attitudes to which every missionary is called: docility, reliability and fidelity. Mission: is more than seeing just the material needs of others, but to recognize what the poor have to give others. It is a call to enter into mutual relationships with others, ever expanding relationships without boundaries, where the “I” and “you” become “we”. These encounters with the poor mutually transform us, leading us to something beyond ourselves, ultimately to Christ. Our outreach to the poor is not simply human kindness, but it is a way of encountering the Lord. The poor in turn teach us about the gospel.

There is a great call to work in synergy in order to be effective as these apostolates require a solid psycho-spiritual training and must be carried out together with others. Working in solidarity with others ensures continuity in Mission. We are called to embrace the culture of encounter so as to see the unknown face of God. These challenges us in the way we look at people, rather than their conditions. It requires deep listening to overcome our prejudices and be transformed. We may not all be able to be involved in this kind of ministry directly, but as Congregations we need to be open to the Spirit and create opportunities and support each of us take responsibility to discover new poverty around us.

The synthesis of hospitālitās, Delexit Nos, Dilexi Te, and the Franciscan tradition offers a compelling vision for contemporary mission. Dependence on God is not passivity but participation in divine love. The convergence of these themes calls for a renewed missionary praxis:

- A spirituality that moves from contemplation to action

- A Church that prioritizes the poor and marginalized

- A communal approach to mission rooted in shared responsibility

- A prophetic witness against structures of injustice

As the Church commemorates the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi, it is invited to rediscover the radical simplicity and concrete charity that define authentic discipleship. Being sisters and brothers: following the example of Saint Francis of Assisi, we are called to be sisters and brothers first and foremost within our communities (our primary mission field) so that we may be sisters and brothers to the outside world. Is love cherished within our communities?

May this reflection inspire a renewed commitment to mission as an expression of God’s love—especially among the poor, where the Heart of Christ continues to beat most visibly.

Here, dependence on God reveals itself as mutual belonging and co-responsibility. The diversity of charisms—teaching, serving, encouraging, leading, giving, and showing mercy—becomes the living expression of the missio Dei.