Today, the Church celebrates World Mission Sunday, a day to remember that every baptized person is called to share in the mission of Christ — to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth through prayer, witness, and love. It is fitting that our Gospel reading today is about persevering prayer.

Jesus tells the story of a persistent widow who pleads tirelessly before an unjust judge until he finally gives her justice. The message is clear: “Pray always and do not lose heart.” Through this parable, Jesus reveals that God, unlike the unjust judge, is attentive and compassionate. If persistence can move a corrupt man, how much more will the loving God respond to His children who cry to Him day and night?

The widow’s persistence mirrors the perseverance of every missionary and disciple who continues to proclaim the Gospel despite difficulties. The missionary spirit is not only about traveling to distant lands; it is about having a heart that refuses to give up — a faith that continues to hope, love, and serve even when results are not immediate.

In many parts of the world, missionaries labor quietly and courageously, often amid poverty, indifference, and even persecution. Like the widow, they stand before the “unjust judges” of the world — systems, hearts, and powers that resist God’s justice — and they do not lose heart. They keep praying, working, and trusting that God’s Kingdom will come.

Pope Francis reminds us that “the Church is missionary by her very nature.” To be a Christian is to be sent — to be a witness of faith, compassion, and hope in our families, schools, workplaces, and parishes. Mission begins in prayer. The one who prays with perseverance learns to see the world as God sees it — with mercy and patience.

Jesus ends the parable with a question that echoes deeply on this Mission Sunday: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” This is a question addressed to every missionary disciple. Will Christ find in us a faith that prays without ceasing, that serves without counting the cost, that believes in the transforming power of the Gospel?

Today, we are reminded that mission is not sustained by strategies alone, but by persistent prayer and unwavering faith. We are called to pray for all missionaries — priests, religious, and lay faithful — and to renew our own missionary commitment where we are planted.

Let us pray, then, that our hearts may burn with missionary zeal. May our perseverance in prayer strengthen the Church’s witness in the world. And may God, who hears the cry of His people, make us steadfast in faith and generous in mission.

“Pray always, and do not lose heart.” For in prayer, we find both the courage to persevere and the fire to proclaim.