MISSION SUNDAY
Go, and make disciples of all nations
Other Celebrations for this Day:
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Sing To The Lord All The Earth
Image: “I Have Come to Bring Fire on Earth” – by Cerezo Barredo, CMF
“One in Christ, United in Mission” is the official theme chosen by Pope Leo XIV for World Mission Day 2026, marking the 100th anniversary of the celebration on 18 October 2026.
Greeting (See 1 Thes 1:4)
God loves you, has chosen you, and has brought the Good News to you. May the grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant (A)
Today’s celebration of Mission Sunday deeply concerns all of us, for mission is the task given to all. The whole Church is mission. We want Christ to be brought to all peoples, that all may be united with him and through him praise the Father of all. The Church will enrich the nations by giving them Christ and his Good News and they will enrich us with the gifts of their culture which they had received from the Lord. Then together we can praise the Lord with one symphony of many voices.
Penitential Act
How much thought have we given to those who do not know Christ? Let us examine ourselves before the Lord.
(pause)
Lord Jesus, you prompt us to go out to the whole world and to teach all peoples how much you love them: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you have made us a light to shine on all nations: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, the Good News of the love of the Father and of your death and resurrection is destined to be known by all: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us all our sins. Do not allow us to hide your light and lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray that all may come to know and love Christ
(pause)
God, you love all nations and people, for they are your creation, your sons and daughters. Let all come to know Christ and his message, that they may become aware of how much you love them and what they are called to become by growing toward the adulthood of your Son. May the day come when all peoples praise you through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
First Reading
All Peoples Will Seek And Find The Lord: The day will come when all nations will find the Lord and then there will be no more wars, for the ways of the Lord are peace
Zion, Center of the Eschatological Kingdom
The vision of Isaiah, son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be set over the highest mountains and tower over the hills.
All the nations shall stream to it, saying, “Come, let us go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways, and we may walk in his paths. For the teaching comes from Zion, and from Jerusalem the word of the Lord.
He will rule over the nations and settle disputes for many people. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not raise sword against nation; they will no longer train for war.
O nation of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!”
Responsorial Psalm
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. R. The Lord has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the Lord.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Second Reading
Be My Witnesses To The Whole Earth: Jesus sends his disciples out: by the power of the Holy Spirit, they and we will become his witnesses to the whole world
Promise of the Holy Spirit
After his passion, he presented himself to them, giving many signs that he was alive. Over a period of forty days, he showed himself to them and taught them about the kingdom of God.
Once, while he was eating with them, he told them:
John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit within a few days.”
Ascension of Jesus
When they had gathered together, they asked him:
“Is it now that you will restore the kingdom of Israel?”
He answered:
“It is not for you to know the time and the steps that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the earth.”
Gospel
Make Disciples Of All Nations: The disciples of Jesus are sent out to win other disciples for him everywhere on earth. He assures them that he will always be with them in this task
Appearance to the Eleven
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus instructed them to meet.
When they saw Jesus, they bowed before him, although some doubted.
Mission of the Disciples
Then Jesus approached and said to them:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, until the end of the age.
Prayers of the Faithful
Together with all the churches who have taken their place in the universal Church, we pray today that the Gospel may reach all, and we say: R/ God, let all the nations praise you.
- With the churches in Oceania, we pray for missionary hearts as wide as the world that have the courage to proclaim Christ in all languages, and so we say: R/ God, let all the nations praise you.
- With the churches in Africa we pray for families with a missionary spirit that they may find joy in bringing other families to Christ. And so we pray: R/ God, let all the nations praise you.
- With the churches of the Americas, we pray for communities of faith, hope and love that respect all people in their human and divine dignity. And so we pray: R/ God, let all the nations praise you.
- With the churches in Western Europe, we pray for the strength to rediscover the Gospel: with the churches of Eastern Europe we pray for the freedom to persevere in the faith. And so we pray: R/ God, may all the nations praise you.
- With the churches in Asia we pray for a spirit of thoughtful witnessing to the values of the Gospel that people may recognize the face of Christ in the thoughts and actions of his disciples. And so we pray: R/ God, let all the nations praise you.
- And for the worldwide Church we pray that through the intercession of Mary there may be missionary vocations from all cultures. And so we pray: R/ God, let all the nations praise you.
Lord our God, let the life and message of your Son bring your love to all peoples of this earth and make us all one family united in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen
Prayer Over the Gifts
Lord our God, what riches we discover in the various cultures and peoples of this earth! As we bring before you these humble gifts of bread and wine we pray you that all the nations may offer to you the treasures of their talents and lifestyle made holy by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. E/Amen.
PREFACE
Salvation through the obedience of Christ
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God. For you so loved the world that in your mercy you sent us the Redeemer, to live like us in all things but sin, so that you might love in us what you loved in your Son, by whose obedience we have been restored to those gifts of yours that, by sinning, we had lost in disobedience.
And so, Lord, with all the Angels and Saints, we, too, give you thanks, as in exultation we acclaim:
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
As we join Jesus in his sacrifice, we dream of the day and pray for it that all peoples and nations may be united with us to praise God with one voice.
Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer
Let us pray to the Father of all that all may know that God is their Father and that his kingdom may come to them. R/ Our Father...
Prayer for Peace
Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: “I leave you peace, my peace I give you.” Make all peoples aware that they belong together as your brothers and sisters, under the one Father of all. May they know then that they are called to live in the peace and unity of the kingdom of justice and peace and love where you live with us for ever and ever. R/ Amen.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father, we have sat at the table of Jesus your Son, we have listened to his challenging word and have eaten his bread of life and strength. We pray you to hasten the day when people from all nations and cultures may sit with us at the same table and be one with us in your Son and sing together to you with our many voices one harmonious symphony of praise. We ask you this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
Saint Paul says emphatically that where people accept the Risen Lord Jesus, there is no more pagan or Jew, no more slave or free person, male or female, for the same Spirit is alive in all and we are all one in Christ, with one Father for all. But that day is not yet with us. Let us pray for that day and contribute to it by the way we live. May Almighty God bless you all: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/Amen.
Let us go in the peace of the Lord. R/ Thanks be to God.
REFLECTIONS
Message of Pope Leo XVI for World Mission Sunday 2026
- "One in Christ, United in Mission"
For World Mission Day 2026, which marks the centenary of a celebration established by Pius XI that is very dear to the Church, I have chosen the theme “One in Christ, united in mission.” - Following the Jubilee Year, I wish to encourage the whole Church to continue its missionary journey with joy and zeal in the Holy Spirit. This requires hearts united in Christ, reconciled communities and, in everyone, a willingness to cooperate with generosity and trust.
- As we reflect on being one in Christ and united in mission, let us allow ourselves to be guided and inspired by divine grace, “to renew in ourselves the fire of our missionary vocation” and advance together in the commitment to evangelisation, in this “new missionary age” in the history of the Church (Homily, Jubilee of the Missionary World and of Migrants, 5 October 2025)