From ecclesial introversion to mission ad gentes

A heart without boundaries in Christ

Abstract

This article invites reflection on the mission ad gentes, ad intra and ad extra, of missionary institutes, in the context of ecclesial introversion, from the perspective of missionary spirituality, addressing the well-known concept of “inhabiting frontiers with a heart without frontiers”. After reviewing the ecclesial context in which missionary institutes ad gentes find themselves, we reflect about human and divine love in Jesus Christ that, as a centripetal and centrifugal force, renews the hearts of missionary disciples and sends them out, even wounded, to be a sign of hope in a world wounded by lovelessness. The concept of “dwelling on the frontier of human and divine love in Jesus” appears throughout the text as an invitation to introspection and motivation for continuous inspiration beyond oneself, as a potential reference for the mission ad gentes.