In the early centuries, the Church only celebrated the great events of our salvation, especially Easter, as feast days. However, Christians came to realize that there were many things in our religion to celebrate, many things inviting us to joyful gratitude.

Today, we celebrate Mission Sunday. The biblical basis for this celebration lies in the realization, already clear in the letters of Saint Paul, that every gift is a task, a mission, while every task must also be recognized and accepted as a gift. Today's Gospel reading ends with a very ominous thought: "But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?" The Church has been so badly shaken by scandals in the last few years that we should take Jesus' words to heart and appreciate more deeply the great gift of faith and the task it requires. Today, Mission Sunday, the Church reminds us that it is our joyful task to share our faith with others so that one day all people will accept Jesus as the Saviour and acknowledge God as Father, source of life, hope and blessedness. As Paul instructs Timothy, we must proclaim the Gospel, and welcome or unwelcome, insist on it.