The Call to Missionary Discipleship
a participant to the Convocation , we are one in the calling to missionary discipleship .
As missionary disciples , Catholic leaders are not just managers or administrators but spiritual leaders who love Jesus Christ , are faithful to the mission of the Church , and can inspire others by being responsive to the vocation , gifts , and charisms that have been given to them by the Lord .
The Holy Father presents some characteristics of a missionary disciple ( or a “ Spirit-filled evangelizer ”) in chapter five of Evangelii Gaudium . The first characteristic of a missionary disciple is a personal encounter with Jesus Christ every day . “ Let us call upon [ the Holy Spirit ] today , firmly rooted in prayer , for without prayer all our activity risks being fruitless and our message empty . Jesus wants evangelizers who proclaim the good news not only with words , but above all by a life transfigured by God ’ s presence .” 30 Missionary disciples have an “ interior impulse which encourages , motivates , nourishes and gives meaning ” to their work . 31 In addition , a missionary disciple is not a solitary figure but rather a person sent by Christ through the community of faith , the Church . “ Mission is at once a passion for Jesus and a passion for his people .” 32
To consider further how missionary discipleship inspires and informs our responsibilities as leaders , here are some personal characteristics of missionary disciples :
• Leaders are people of prayer . They are intimately in tune with God ’ s voice that speaks in silence and find time to imitate the Lord , who “ went up on the mountain by himself to pray ” ( Mt 14:23 ). They receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist frequently .
• Leaders are conscious of the mission field around them . They are willing to go beyond their comfort zones to embrace and engage others . They act with intentionality and an open heart for all God ’ s people , not only those who are already active in the life of the Church .
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