August 31st, 2020
He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim Good News to the poor.
(Gospel 31st August, 2020)
As we say Goodbye to August 2020 The Mission Statement from Jesus in the synagogue of Nazareth is an excellent model in this time of sharing the harvest and planting new seeds. As with all mission statements the people in the synagogue awaited the outcome. In launching his identity, his work and the reason for his work, Jesus reveals that he is sent from God, entrusted with God’s purpose, requested to bring Good News to all who live in captivity. This is the Mission Statement that rocked the system of laws and restrictions and continues to evolve the global vision into oneness.
In his article of 24th May, 2020, entitled The Good and Bad News about Global Poverty, Mats Tunehag, speaker and consultant explores the way in which Business today is Mission. He is calling us ” to grow, shape and reshape businesses with God and for the common good… to build an ecosystem of leaders from business, government, and civil society, so different kinds of wealth can be created and health restored. It’s the Why and the How …
To read the complete article, please click here.
In this interesting and thought-provoking article the author notes that there is both good news and bad news emerging in relation to poverty in 2020.
The Good News is that the “ biggest lift of poverty in the history of mankind has happened in our generation. Since 1990, more than a billion people have risen out of extreme poverty.” Mats Tunehag attributes this to trade that is fair and to the growing of small businesses.
The bad news is that, “due to the coronavirus restrictions and lockdown measures, we risk a major global setback… Around 50 million children could fall into extreme poverty. Hundreds of millions of jobs may be lost. About 260 million face starvation, and three dozen countries risk famine.” This observation is re-echoed by many commentators.
In his article Mats Tunehag recalls the holistic worldview of Bishop Charles Borromeo who also lived in a time of world pandemics and developed his mission with God in meeting the physical, social, economic, and spiritual needs of his people. Charles Borromeo “persuaded rich people to help the poor. He created and staffed hospitals and quarantine houses. He instituted social distancing policies and had a particular love and care for orphaned infants. He moved church outdoors, to mitigate risk of spreading the disease. But he also created jobs and supported a large number of laid-off workers.” In job creation he saw long – term solutions and business, best understood, was his mission.
In general the author of this article seems to be pointing to the essential Mission Statement, to the Why we do Mission and the How we do Mission and in this clarity of vision the Mission finds credibility and sustainability. Business is not a bad word; rather it has the potential to serve the common home and her community, in truth, integrity and justice.
Business is a noble vocation, directed to producing wealth and improving the world. It can be a fruitful source of prosperity for the area in which it operates, especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its service to the common good. – Pope Francis: Laudato Si
On August 31st, 2020 the words of Jesus in the synagogue of Nazareth call us back to the Mission Statement, to our identity and to the job description that flows from it.
The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim Good News to the poor.
