ORTUGAL, Fr. José Melo. “The Gospel joy which enlivens the community of disciples is a missionary joy1.” These words by Pope Francis which express the heart of the message in his apostolic exhortation – The Joy of the Gospel – once again calls the Schoenstatt Movement to live the true spirit of the Jubilee.
The apostolic exhortation published in November is truly a providential guide that engages with the Jubilee celebration of 100 years Schoenstatt, challenging us to go with the whole Church on a journey of interior transformation at the service of announcing the gospel to today’s world.
The joy of the gospel should be a sign of the Jubilee
At its heart is the encounter with God’s love, manifested in His Son Jesus and this is the reason for the joy of faith and following Jesus. This experience that always renews itself – in the shrine and through the Covenant of Love with Mary – makes us into a community of disciples.
The joy of the gospel is missionary
We see this in the life of Mary, whose greeting made Elizabeth’s child jump for joy in his mother’s womb. We see this in the life of so many people who, over the last 100 years, made of their Covenant of Love a joy and life-filled witness, following Fr. Kentenich’s example.
The challenge for the entire Church is also the most pressing jubilee challenge: missionary transformation.
Covenant Joy is missionary because it must be shared, it is overwhelming and contagious, and above all, it is creative in love. It always finds new ways to take the gospel into life and into the heart of today’s world; covenant joy must be lived in communion with the entire Church and is at the service of others.
The apostolic exhortation, The Gospel of Joy, also carries with it the Church’s renewing dynamism, brought to life by Pope Francis, and is an invitation towards a new missionary impetus that moves each Christian person and each community.
In our 2014 preparation, I invite each person and each small community to live the joy of the gospel and bring the jubilee motto to life: Your covenant, our mission!
What is my (our) missionary step today?
Fr. José Melo, National Movement Director
Source: www.schoenstatt.pt
Translated from the Portuguese by Sarah-Leah Pimentel, South Africa
