When someone asks me this question, I often sense both curiosity and concern beneath it. Why must the Church go out to all peoples? Is it obligation, tradition, or something deeper? The truth is, this mission is not driven by power or conquest, but by love. The Church preaches the Gospel because she has encountered a love so life-giving that she cannot keep it to herself.
At the heart of this calling are Jesus’ own words at the end of His earthly ministry. In the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus tells His disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations.” This moment—often called the Great Commission—is not a command rooted in force, but an invitation rooted in hope. Christ knows that the Good News of forgiveness, healing, and eternal life is meant for every culture, every language, every person who longs for meaning.
The Church understands herself as the living Body of Christ in the world. What Jesus began—touching the sick, welcoming sinners, revealing the Father’s mercy—He continues through His people. To preach the Gospel is simply to continue Christ’s own mission. The Church believes that God desires all people to be saved, not by coercion, but by freely encountering the truth of His love revealed in Jesus.
For us today, this mission takes many forms. Sometimes it means traveling to distant lands. More often, it means living the Gospel quietly—through compassion, integrity, forgiveness, and service right where we are. When you live your faith with humility and love, you become part of this universal mission. The Church preaches the Gospel to all nations because every heart matters to God—and yours does too.
Reflection
May we never forget that the Gospel is shared best not only with words, but with lives transformed by love. Let us ask for the grace to be gentle witnesses of Christ wherever God places us.
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way.