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Successful Mission

Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval de Manila is the oldest, grandest and most historically significant Philippine-made ivory icon of Mary. The statue was commissioned by the Spanish Governor-General Don Luis Pérez Dasmariñas in 1593. Sixty years after its creation, the Spanish and Filipino forces prayed before the statue for victory against the superior Dutch forces in Naval battles and won a miraculous victory due to the intervention of the Virgin Mary. Later named as the protector of the navy of Manila (“la naval de Manila”), Our Lady of La Naval de Manila is housed at Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City.

Background Music: Panalangin
    Written by: Mark Anthony Cuevas
    Voiced by: Shirly Benedictos

October 7, Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary
Daily Readings: Baruch 4:5-12, 27-29; Luke 10:17-24

It is always interesting to listen to the stories of those who go to other nations or cultures as missionaries. They share their failures and successes in their missionary endeavors.

The readings of the last two days talk about the failures and successes of missionary work. Yesterday, Jesus cursed the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for their hardness of heart. The missionary work seems to be fruitless.

In contrast to the Gospel of yesterday, the Gospel reading of today proclaims the story of the success of missionary work.  The disciples who were sent two by two returned to Jesus and shared the success stories of their mission.  With joy, the disciples said: “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” As a Master, Jesus partakes in the happiness of the disciples, but he reminds them gently that they have to credit that success not to themselves but to God. It must be made clear that it is not their power that chases the demons away but the power of God that works in them. In other words, we are God’s instruments. Away from God, we could do nothing. The question, then, is “What guarantees the success of a mission?” A childlike disposition, that is trusting God and humility to depend on him, guarantees the success of the mission. Jesus says, “For although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.”

Attributing our success in our mission to God allows us to glorify God. Jesus has shown us an example. Listening to the happy stories of the disciples, Jesus praises God the Father and says, “I give you praise, Father…for you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.”

Above all, Jesus tells us that mission cannot be done away from God. The success of a mission is determined by how deep our communion with God is.

 

Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.”  Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.