If you are like me, your morning probably starts with a quick reach for your phone or tablet. Perhaps before you even have your first cup of coffee, you find yourself navigating to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) website to check the daily readings. It is a beautiful habit, one that grounds our day in the Word of God. But I often wonder: how many of us see these readings not just as a source of personal comfort, but as a direct call to mission?
When we look at the daily cycle of Scripture, we aren’t just looking at history or ancient poetry. We are looking at a living map of how to be a missionary in our own neighborhoods and how to support the mission of the Church in far-off lands. As the National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies, I see the "missionary spirit" as the heartbeat of the Church. It is especially evident in the work of The Society of St. Peter the Apostle, where we focus on the formation of local clergy and religious sisters in mission territories.
Today, I want to share with you how you can transform your daily USCCB reading habit into a powerful source of missionary inspiration.
A Personal Encounter with the Living Christ
The foundational element of any missionary activity is a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. We cannot share what we do not have. Every Catholic who has had a genuine encounter with Christ carries within them "the heart of a missionary." When you open the USCCB website and see the First Reading, the Psalm, and the Gospel, your first goal shouldn’t be just to "finish" the reading. It should be to meet Christ personally through the text.
In the Gospel readings, we see Jesus constantly on the move. He is healing, teaching, and: most importantly: sending. When He tells the Apostles to "Go into the whole world," He is speaking to us through them. A missionary heart is formed when we realize that the Jesus who walked the dusty roads of Galilee is the same Jesus who is present in the Word today. This personal connection is what compels us to participate in the Church's mission. It moves us from being spectators of our faith to being active participants in the salvation of the world.
The Holy Spirit: The Engine of Mission
As you read through the Acts of the Apostles, which we do so frequently in the Easter season, you’ll notice a recurring theme: the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is often described as the "Spirit of mission." It is the Spirit that animates, guides, and strengthens every witness to Christ.
When you are doing your daily readings, I encourage you to look for the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Ask yourself: "How is the Spirit moving in this passage? Where is the Spirit pushing the disciples to go?" Often, the Spirit pushes them toward the margins: to the people who are forgotten or ignored.
This is exactly what we see in the mission territories today. Our seminarians and young priests, supported by The Society of St. Peter the Apostle, are often the ones the Holy Spirit sends to the most remote villages. They are the ones who go where others will not. By recognizing the Holy Spirit's role in the daily readings, we become more sensitive to how the Spirit might be calling us to support these missions through our prayers and our sacrifices.
Supporting the Growth of Local Clergy
One of the most profound ways the daily readings inspire us is by showing us the growth of the early Church. We see St. Paul appointing elders and deacons in every city. This is the biblical blueprint for what The Society of St. Peter the Apostle does today. We believe that the most effective way to spread the Gospel is through the formation of local, indigenous clergy.
When a young man in Africa, Asia, or Oceania feels a call to the priesthood, he is answering the same call we read about in the USCCB daily readings. He is stepping up to be a shepherd for his own people. However, many of these mission dioceses lack the financial resources to provide the necessary education and housing for these seminarians.
When you read about the "harvest being plentiful but the laborers being few" in your daily Gospel, let that be a reminder of the thousands of seminarians currently in formation who need our help. You can learn more about how we support these future priests at https://pontificalmissions.org/who-we-are/the-society-of-st.-peter-the-apostle. Supporting them is a direct way to respond to the biblical mandate to "send out laborers into His harvest."
From Understanding to Action: Reaching the Margins
The transformation that comes from encountering Christ in the daily readings must eventually move us to action. It’s not enough to simply understand the doctrine; we must communicate the richness of Christ to others. The liturgy has the power to make us missionaries. It transforms us into people who go forth to proclaim the Gospel to those on the margins of society.
When you finish your daily reading, don't just close the tab and move on with your day. Take a moment of silence. Ask the Lord: "Who is the 'outcast' in my life today? Who has fallen away that I need to seek out?" The USCCB readings remind us that every Christian is called to be "on the move." We are called to go out of ourselves.
This "going out" can take many forms. It might be a conversation with a neighbor, a charitable donation, or a dedicated time of intercessory prayer for the missions. For those of us involved with the Pontifical Mission Societies, this action often takes the form of supporting the training of religious sisters and priests who will be the "boots on the ground" in mission lands. They are the ones standing at the crossroads, welcoming the outcast in Jesus' name.
The Eucharist and the Word
We must never forget that for a Catholic, the Word and the Eucharist are inseparable. Many of you might read the USCCB readings as preparation for daily Mass or as a way to stay connected to the Liturgy of the Eucharist when you cannot attend in person.
The Eucharist sustains our missionary zeal. Regular participation in the sacraments, combined with a deep engagement with Scripture, equips us with the virtues of faith, hope, and charity. It is from the Altar that we are sent. The "Ite, missa est" (Go, the Mass is ended) is not just a dismissal; it is a commissioning. We are sent into a world in need, carrying the Word we have just heard and the Christ we have just received.
Practical Steps for Your Daily Reflection
To help you find this missionary inspiration every day, I suggest a simple three-step approach to your USCCB readings:
- Read with a Global Heart: When you read about the early Christian communities, think of our modern-day mission parishes. When a Psalm speaks of "all the ends of the earth," pray specifically for a mission territory you know of.
- Reflect on the 'Sent-ness': Identify one person in the readings who is being sent or who is welcoming a stranger. Ask how you are being called to do the same in your current state of life.
- Respond with Sacrifice: Let the readings lead you to a concrete act. This could be a prayer for the work of The Society of St. Peter the Apostle or a small sacrifice offered for the formation of a seminarian in a mission land.
Final Thoughts
The daily readings are a gift. They are a daily bread that feeds our souls and a light that guides our feet. But let them also be a fire that ignites our missionary zeal.
As you continue your journey through the liturgical year, keep the missions close to your heart. Remember that the Church is missionary by its very nature. Every time you read the USCCB website, you are participating in a global conversation between God and His people: a conversation that is meant to be shared with every corner of the world.
Thank you for your prayers and for your continued support of our brothers and sisters in the mission territories. May the Word of God always find a home in your heart and move you to bring His love to others.
– Fr. Deji