Pere Charles de Foucauld, founder of the Little Brothers of Jesus Caritas, once said: "For the gospel I am prepared to go to the ends of the earth and live until Judgement Day." His thinking must be an echo of that of the early followers of Jesus, Barnabas, Saul and Mark who unhesitatingly set off on their First Missionary Journey because they felt the call of the Holy Spirit. They fasted and were prayed over before setting off because the whole community had no doubt at all about the seriousness and worthiness of their mission - "to proclaim the word of God" (Acts 5:13).

What was this 'word of God' they were to proclaim? It is beautifully summarized in John 12:44-50. John encapsulates Jesus' message to the world in these last six lines of Chapter 12 which summon people to a faith which goes beyond. His person to God the Father who is manifested in Jesus. To see Jesus in faith is to see in Him one who reveals the Father, the "light" which banishes the darkness of unbelief and sin.

Jesus' main aim is to save and not to condemn or judge. People condemn themselves when they reject Him and His word. They alienate themselves from God thus. Jesus' whole mission and message come from the Father, so through union with Jesus, the Father gives eternal life. Jesus declares Himself an agent of God - He speaks and is the Word of life.