As an apostle, St. Paul most abundantly responded to the call of the Lord, fought a good fight and finished the race in the first century itself. Similarly, our patron saint, Apostle Thomas was instrumental in bringing Christianity to the land of India through his strenuous travels during AD first century. In the path of evangelization of India, the Christian presence here from the very first century itself is a God-given blessing for the country. The untiring efforts of many missionaries contributed to bringing thousands of marginalized people of India to the main stream of national life. Yet, the Church could not accomplish much as a result of diverse cultural, religious, social and political situations that prevailed in India, apart from other jurisdictional limitations of the Holy See prevailed in the past.
The challenges of the day demands that a wider responsibility for an enhanced outreach of the mission is vested on the Church and each and every one of her baptized. Even though diverse constraints prevail in its way, the Church is doing her best in the mission front, on a limited day and her presence is felt in many parts of the country as the Church is doing good for the people. However, she can do still better and more extensively as there is immense mission potential in India where millions of Indians remain without any knowledge of Jesus and the gospel while the salvation is intended for all. The Church recognizes that she is entrusted with a commission to proclaim the gospel of Jesus (cf. 1 Cor 9:17b).
In Paul, the Church at all times recognized that he fought a good fight and finished the race and kept the faith (cf. 2 Tim 4:7). It is in this context that this book examines what the characteristics are that would disclose the zeal of Paul and how they act as a model for the missionaries. This book unfolds the realities that generally prevail in any mission dioceses of the Church outside Kerala and attempts to suggest remedial measures possible, by following the Pauline model. A descriptive analysis of different Biblical passages, focussing on their socio-historical setting, is adopted. This book gives an insightful study of Biblical passages of pastoral and missiological dimensions, for greater appreciation of the potential and the constraints of the mission dioceses. Since the mission dioceses are many and the mission stations are widely distributed in different States, the empirical study is confined to a few mission stations at random only. The book envisages the need for a re-evangelization in the Church to revamp its missions with the active involvement of all concerned and the relevant strategies called for thereto to achieve the ultimate mission entrusted to the disciples.
The Word of God takes its stride through those who gracefully receive it in their hearts. Obviously by doing so, they abide in Christ and become New Creations bearing the fruits of the Holy Spirit, irrespective of any distinction whether they are Consecrated, Religious or Laity. They will have the insight that as they are precious ones of the Lord who bought them at a price and entrusted with them the responsibility to witness the resurrected Lord and to build-up the Body of Christ. No limitation will bind them down in their mission as their driving force is the Spirit of the Lord who carries the Good News of Deliverance through them, by glorifying wherever His feet rest (cf. Is 60, 61). Viewing the beauty of the great commission vested on the New Creations, St. Paul, the archetype of missionaries and the proponent of grace exclaims to the whole world “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News!” (Rom 10:15).
— Jacob Chelippallil
