Week 16, Monday. Evangelizing Thought of the Day (ETD)

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

61. The Church is engaged in these areas created by the media and has, from the very beginning, utilized these means as a useful way to proclaim the Gospel. Today, in addition to the more traditional means of communication, especially the printed word and radio, which, according to the responses, have moderately increased in recent years, new media are increasingly becoming a major factor in the Church's ministry of evangelization, making interaction possible at various levels: local, national, continental and global. The potential for using both old and new media is clear, as is the need to take advantage of this newly created social space and introduce the vocabulary and forms of the Christian tradition. An attentive and shared discernment process is needed not only to better assess the possibilities of their use in proclaiming the Gospel, but also to understand properly the risks and dangers involved.
62. Indeed, the spread of the culture created by communications undoubtedly brings many benefits. Among them are: a greater access to information; more opportunities for knowledge and dialogue; new forms of solidarity; and the ability to foster an increasingly global culture which leads to a shared heritage of values and the better development of thought and human activity. This potential, however, does not eliminate the dangers inherent in the excessive diffusion of such a culture. Their effects are already being manifested in a deeply, self-centred attentiveness to individual needs only, and an exaltation of emotion in relationships and social ties, thus leading to a diminution and loss of the objective value of deeply human experiences, such as meditation and silence. It equally is leading to an excess in holding to one's individual thinking and a gradual reduction of ethics and civic life to appearance only. These dangers might eventually result in a so-called culture which is short-lived, immediately gratifying and based on mere appearance or a society incapable of looking to either the past or the future. In such a situation, Christians must be bold in entering these "new areopaghi", learning to evaluate them in light of the Gospel and finding the instruments and methods to ensure that, even in these places, the educational patrimony and the wisdom guarded by Christian Tradition is heard today. (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 2: Time for a New Evangelization,” paragraph 61-62)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

To the upright I will show the saving power of God. (Psalm 50:23, Mass).

COLLECT

Show favor, O Lord, to Your servants
and mercifully increase the gifts of Your grace,
that, made fervent in hope, faith and charity,
they may be ever watchful in keeping Your commands.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

When engaged with various groups discussing the Lineamenta, there were occasions when participants responded to statements with a respectful chuckle, a confused countenance or even an inquisitive and drawn-out “What?” Case in point: “The Church is engaged in these areas [communication] by the media and has, from the very beginning, utilized these means as a useful way to proclaim the Gospel.” I know a a good number of people, after reading this statement, said “Really?” At least in terms of their experience, some of the declarative statements in the Lineamenta and now in the Instrumentum Laboris as to what the Church is doing do not necessarily reflect reality in one’s particular geographical locale of Church. Others commented that when the Church would use some of these communication resources, they did not seek good input from acknowledged experts in the area and approached the task akin to ‘reinventing the wheel’ paying little to no regard to those who could contribute talent and thus make the Church’s use of technology more credible. Others mentioned that a attitude of minimalism exists even in the Church - 'just throw something up on the web, and that will be good enough' without any regard for the effectiveness of the project.

The task for credible and up-to-date use of communication technology is most urgent. Fr. Robert Barron, author of the famed Catholicism Series, has repeatedly noted that ‘others are telling OUR story’ and obviously when they do so, any reference or content of Gospel Truth is purely accidental. News travels at such speed today that if we as Church are not voicing Truth on a particular situation immediately, the spin-machines of contemporary media are already churning out a message. We end up behind the proverbial 8-ball not only trying to proclaim Truth, but to counter the destructive spin that is presented with all sorts of bling and glitz packaged into exceptionally short sound bites that most often are an affront to the human intellect. We need to take charge of OUR story and get that story out in all of its Truth AND liberating peace-filled joy! Our story is NOT the “gospel of no you can’t” (as is often portrayed) but the story of the encounter with the Person Jesus Christ Who came that we might have life and have it to the full ...  AND .. Who calls us to daily sacrificial conversion!

Consider:

• Like so many recommendations in the Lineamenta and Instrumentum Laboris, people nod their heads - 'Yes! we need to do this... or that... Let's have a meeting to discuss (and we all know the results). Without being simplistic, how do we as a Church effectively communicate the Person Jesus Christ in our world today?
• How do we 'baptize' the Internet and use it credibly when resources for so many vital ministries of the Church are drying up?

Week 16, Sunday. Evangelizing Thought of the Day (ETD)

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

59. The Lineamenta responses also made note of communications, the sixth sector, which provide great opportunities today and, at the same time, represent a major challenge for the Church. Initially, communications was a characteristic of the industrialized world only. However, in today's globalized world, this sector also affects a vast number of developing countries. Every place on the globe, bar none, can be reached by communications, and is therefore subject to the influence of the electronic and media culture. These media are fast becoming the "forum" of civic life and social experience, which is sufficiently illustrated in the widespread use of the internet.
60. The responses refer to the generally-held belief that, today, the new digital technologies have given rise to an entirely new social space where the connections created have the potential of influencing society and culture. The media process, resulting from these technologies, is having an impact on people's lives and is changing reality itself by incisively entering into people's experiences and widening human potential. Our perception of self, others and the world are influenced by them. Communication technologies and the space created by them must therefore be viewed positively, without prejudice, as a resource which requires a discerning eye and a wise and responsible employment. (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 2: Time for a New Evangelization,” paragraph 59-60)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. (Psalm 23:1, Mass).

COLLECT

Show favor, O Lord, to Your servants
and mercifully increase the gifts of Your grace,
that, made fervent in hope, faith and charity,
they may be ever watchful in keeping Your commands.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

The Instrumentum Laboris treats the sixth sector in a section of its own entitled, “The New Frontier of the Communications’ Sector.” Only the cultural sector received as much attention in the Instrumentum Laboris. The familiar language of “opportunity” and “challenge” colors points surfaced from the global input to the Lineamentum of 2011. Noting that the reality of communication is no longer the domain of the industrialized nations, the internet has made electronic and media culture a way of life among the richest and poorest people of the planet, although it must be acknowledged that not all people have equal access to these means of communication. This electronic and media culture not only impacts life, but widens people’s experiences and potential as noted by the Instrumentum Laboris. One can recall, as only 1 example of many, the non-violent revolution in the Middle East (Spring 2011) effected in large part due to electronic and digital communication. In the end, “communication technologies” are viewed a positive resource, yet a resource requiring the often heard call in the Instrumentum Laboris of discernment.

Consider:

• How does the Instrumentum Laboris' statement, "Communication technologies and the space created by them must therefore be viewed positively, without prejudice, as a resource which requires a discerning eye and a wise and responsible employment" sit with you?

Week 15, Saturday. Evangelizing Thought of the Day (ETD)

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

57. The fourth sector is civic life. From the time of the Second Vatican Council to the present, the changes which have occurred in this sector can rightly be called momentous. The division of the western world into two blocks ended with the fall of the Communist ideology, leading to religious freedom and the possibility of reorganizing the Churches of ancient origin. The emergence on the world stage of new economic, political and religious actors from the Islamic and Asian worlds has created an entirely new and unknown situation, rich in potential, but fraught with dangers and new temptations for dominion and power. Many responses have highlighted a variety of urgent situations in this sector, namely, a commitment to peace; the development and liberation of peoples; better international regulation and interaction of national governments; the search for possible areas of listening, coexistence, dialogue and collaboration between different cultures and religions; the defence of human rights and peoples, especially minorities; the promotion of the most vulnerable; and the integrity of creation and a commitment to the future of our planet. Various particular Churches are engaged in dealing with these issues, which are being diligently pursued and fostered in the daily life of our communities.
58. The fifth sector is scientific research and technology. We live in an age that still marvels at the wonders of the continuing achievements which result from research in these fields. Each day, we have the possibility of experiencing the benefits of these advances and are increasingly becoming dependent upon them. Inherent in the many positive aspects is the danger of excessive expectations and manipulation. Today, science and technology run the risk of becoming the new idols of the present. In a digitalized and globalized world, science can easily become "our new religion". New forms of gnosis are arising which make technology a form of wisdom where an almost magical approach to life leads to concepts of "knowing" and "meaning", as witnessed in the rise of new cults, which exploit the religious practices of healing, readily followed by people, and are structured as religions promising prosperity and instant gratification. (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 2: Time for a New Evangelization,” paragraph 57-58)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

Do not forget the poor, O Lord! (Psalm 10:12, Mass).

COLLECT

O God, Who show the light of Your truth
to those who go astray,
so that they may return to the right path,
give all who for the faith they profess
are accounted Christians
the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the Name of Christ
and to strive after all that does It honor.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

Changes that are too numerous to catalog and changes that are described as momentous characterize the Instrumentum Laboris’ treatment of the fourth sector: civic life. It is hard to keep abreast of all the developments occurring in societies throughout the word. Yet if that were not enough, the changes occurring in civil life bring a host of opportunities, challenges and questions that border on the infinite and, as such, risk imposing such an enormity on the human person that people may be tempted to avoid dealing with any challenge in the civic arena. This situation suggests that recapturing the dignity of the human person as created in the image and likeness of God is both urgent and key to address and to respond to any challenge in this sector as well as the technological sector.

Consider:

• How can the momentous changes in civic life preserve and enhance the dignity of the human person?
• With the unprecedented growth in technology and its use, what steps need to be taken in each person's life to 'humanize' the digital revolution?

Week 15, Friday. Evangelizing Thought of the Day (ETD)

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

55. The initial sector of culture is followed by the social sector and the treatment of the phenomenon of the great migration which is causing an increasing number of people to leave their country of origin to live in urban settings, resulting in a meeting and mixing of cultures and contributing to the erosion of basic reference points to life, values and the very bonds through which people build their identity and come to know the meaning of life. Joined to the spread of secularization, this process causes a situation of extreme cultural liquidity, which increasingly leaves less room for long-standing traditions, including religious ones. Linked to this sector is the social phenomenon called "globalization", a not-too-easily-understood reality which requires an intense work of discernment by the Christian. At times, this phenomenon carries a negative connotation, when it is seen as inevitable and linked to the economy and production. However, it can also be viewed as a time of growth, in which humanity can learn to develop new forms of solidarity and new ways of sharing development for the good of all.
56. The responses to the Lineamenta refer to a third sector, associated with the subject of migration, which is becoming more and more incisive in society: the economy. In great part a direct cause of migration, the economy is highlighted for the tensions and forms of violence related to it, and the inequality it causes within and among nations. Many responses, not simply those from developing countries, decried a clear and decisive increase in the separation between the rich and the poor. On innumerable occasions, papal magisterium has denounced the growing imbalance between the North and South in the access to and distribution of resources, as well as the damage done to creation. Today's continuing economic crisis is characterized by the problem of the use of both human and natural resources. Particular Churches are invited to live the evangelical ideal of poverty and are expected to do still more in terms of awareness and concrete activity, even if the media does not give sufficient coverage to them. (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 2: Time for a New Evangelization,” paragraph 55-56)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth. (Psalm 102:20, Mass).

COLLECT

O God, Who show the light of Your truth
to those who go astray,
so that they may return to the right path,
give all who for the faith they profess
are accounted Christians
the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the Name of Christ
and to strive after all that does It honor.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

Social migration and the economy are the next sectors of life examined in the light of the New Evangelization. Certainly there is nothing ‘new’ about social migration and the economy: these have been part of human living from the very beginning. What marks the ‘new’ dimension of these sectors is the speed and depth of their affect on human living.

Consider:

• Is it sufficient to simply ‘name’ the difficulties associated with the sectors of social migration and the economy? Must the New Evangelization grapple with the causes?

Week 15, Wednesday. Evangelizing Thought of the Day (ETD)

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

53. This subdued tone, which gives secularization its charm and seductive character, has also enabled it to enter the lives of Christians and Church communities, becoming not just an external threat to believers, but one inherent to everyday life. Traces of a secular understanding of life are seen in the habitual behavior of many Christians. The "death of God" proclaimed by many intellectuals in recent decades has given way to an unproductive, hedonistic and consumer mentality, which leads to a highly superficial manner in facing life and responsibility. In this way, faith runs the real risk of losing its fundamental elements. The influence of secularization in daily life makes it increasingly difficult to affirm the existence of truth, which, realistically speaking, eliminates the question of God from a person's examination of self. To respond to religious needs, persons revert to individualistic forms of spirituality or forms of neo-paganism to the point of forcibly spreading a general climate of relativism.
54. These dangers, however, must not overshadow the positive things which Christianity has learned from secularization. The saeculum is where believers and non-believers interact and share in a common humanity. This human element is the natural point for faith to enter and, consequently, can become the privileged place for evangelization. In the fully human nature of Jesus of Nazareth dwells the fullness of the deity (cf. Col 2:9). Purifying the human through the human nature of Jesus of Nazareth, Christians can create an encounter with people who exhibit a secularized mentality but continue to question what is really and truly human. Encountering these people in search of truth can help Christians purify and develop their faith. The inner struggle of people in search of truth, though not yet possessing the gift of faith, is a real incentive for us in our duty to live and witness to the faith, so that the true face of God can be seen by every person. In this regard, the responses showed great interest in the initiative of the "Courtyard of the Gentiles". (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 2: Time for a New Evangelization,” paragraph 53-54)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

The Lord will not abandon his people. (Psalm 94:15, Mass).

COLLECT

O God, Who show the light of Your truth
to those who go astray,
so that they may return to the right path,
give all who for the faith they profess
are accounted Christians
the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the Name of Christ
and to strive after all that does It honor.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

‘Charming and seducing’ describe secularization in the Instrumentum Laboris. Both words help to explain why secularism is so difficult to battle because each has more than a passing appeal to those areas of life that have yet to be fully configured to the sacrifical selflessness of Jesus Christ. Worse still is the fact that since the Church and Her members are in the world (not of the world) secularism has managed to sink deep tentacles into ecclesial life that have caused scandal leading people to ask, ‘Is there any difference between the Church and the world?’ It does not help when institutionally the Church chooses ways of decision making that have more in common with a Fortune 500 company than the Gospel.

Consider:

• Given secularism’s charming and seducing characteristics, how can the Church credibly speak to secularism’s dangers for the human person and human community?

Week 15, Monday. Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Evangelizing Thought of the Day (ETD)

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

51. The duty of the new evangelization compels the Church to examine the way Christian communities both live and bear witness to the faith today. In doing so, the new evangelization now becomes discernment or the ability to read and decipher the new sectors which have emerged in human history in the last decade, so that, in turn, they might be turned into places for proclaiming the Gospel and experiencing the Church. Once again, the magisterium of Pope John Paul II has shown the way by first providing a description of the sectors of the new evangelization, which were used in composing the Lineamenta and were further discussed and substantiated in the responses. These sectors include cultures, society, economics, civic life and religion.
52. Given its importance, the cultural sector was seen as a priority. Broadly treated in the preceding paragraphs, the cultural sector was mentioned in many responses as the place where secularizing trends are taking place at a rapid pace. Prevalent in a particular way in the West, secularization is the result of certain social and philosophical happenings and movements, which have had a profound effect on its history and identity. Secularization is wrongly perceived in our cultures today as a sign of liberation and the capability of envisaging life in this world, and human life in general, without any reference to the transcendent. In recent years, secularization has not assumed the form of publically or directly speaking out against God, religion and Christianity, despite the fact that, in some instances, it can oftentimes have an anti-Christian, anti-religious and anti-clerical tone, even in these times. Many responses indicate that the rather subdued tone in secularization has allowed this cultural form to invade people's daily lives to the point that some have developed a mentality in which God is effectively absent, in whole or in part, and his very existence dependent on human consciousness. (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 2: Time for a New Evangelization,” paragraph 51-52)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

To the upright I will show the saving power of God. (Psalm 50:23, Mass).

COLLECT

May the venerable intercession of the
glorious Virgin Mary come to our aid,
we pray, O Lord, so that,
fortified by her protection,
we may reach the mountain which is Christ.
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

“The Sectors of the New Evangelization,” 5 in number in the Instrumentum Laboris, are examined over the course of 8 paragraphs in this section. In reviewing today’s selection, one might ask: ‘what is new about these realities?’ Has not human history always had to deal with realities opposing the religious and spiritual dimensions of life? Permit a crystal clear answer: yes in the sense of no; no in the sense of yes. Clear? Perhaps not. Concerns regarding “cultures, society, economics, civic life and religion” color the pages of human history and at times particular sectors even vividly adorn and impose on life a direction that minimally is not friendly to the Sacred. What makes the present situation ‘new’ is the speed, almost incomprehensible at times, that these sectors influence and cause change in life.

Consider:

• Might a renewed cultivation of contemplative prayer among ALL the faithful help to slow life so as to know whether life’s direction is ordered towards the Person, Jesus Christ?
• Are there any good dimensions to life’s rapid pace?

Ordinary Time, 15. Words of the Word

ANTIPHON

“As for me, in justice I shall behold Your Face; I shall be filled with the vision of Your glory. (Psalm 17:15)

COLLECT

O God, Who show the light of Your truth
to those who go astray,
so that they may return to the right path,
give all who for the faith they profess
are accounted Christians
the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the Name of Christ
and to strive after all that does It honor.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation. (Psalm 85:8).

GOSPEL EXCERPT

Jesus summoned (προσκαλεῖται, proskaleitai) the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority (ἐξουσίαν, exousian) over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick – no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear but not a second tunic. He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance (ἐκήρυξαν ἵνα μετανοῶσιν, ekeruxan hina metavoosin). The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. (Mark 6:7-13).”

REFLECTION

On the heels of rejection by family and friends in His native place, what does Jesus do? In a style characteristic of the Evangelist Mark, Jesus wasted no time and “summoned ((προσκαλεῖται, proskaleitai)” the Twelve to Him. While an image certainly comes to mind with the English verb “summoned,” προσκαλέω (proskaleo) also expresses an invitation ‘to join-in or to share-in the life of another.’ Throughout the pages of Sacred Scripture, προσκαλέω (proskaleo) is also employed to express the blessings of salvation. But this ‘joining-in,’ ‘sharing-in’ or salvation is given as a call and as a gift. The recipient is not the initiator of the action, only the gracious beneficiary. There is no grabbing or grasping here only hands open in the quintessential posture of peace, emptiness and offering.

Such an attitude enables Jesus’ to give and the Twelve to receive His “authority (ἐξουσίαν, exousian).” In the Greek world ἐξουσία (exousia) was used frequently in government contexts, expressing a proper power and control that government and its leaders possessed in order to rule over people and act in a way that was proper to officials. On the lips of Jesus ἐξουσία (exousia) is certainly a power but it expresses much more. In terms of power proper to a person, ἐξουσία (exousia) grounds the power ‘from within.’ ἐξουσία (exousia) is not a credential or technique that Jesus acquired through months of preparation and study. ἐξουσία (exousia) – literally “from the being (or as I am more fond of, ‘from the gut’)” – conveys a confidence and conviction born of trusting and knowing (cf. the Marcan Gospel episodes from the previous 2 weeks) the Other - His Father. Jesus’ “authority” lies not in being a ‘self-made man,’ His authority is anchored in the relationship He experiences with His Father. It is ‘out-of’ or from this relationship, often nourished in the desert (cf. next week’s Gospel episode) that Jesus acts. No wonder the Twelve needed nothing – with Jesus’ ἐξουσία what more could anyone want?

So why give the Twelve ἐξουσία? Simply it is for the purpose of the Twelve doing what Jesus does. Jesus enables the Twelve to act as He does for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Thus after an additional instruction or two, the six pairs go out with Jesus’ ἐξουσία and they “preached repentance.” Permit some dissecting of “preached” and “repentance.”

The Greek verb κηρύσσω (kerysso, ‘to cry aloud,’ ‘to announce’) has roots in the world of public Greek games. In that setting, image what it would take to be heard? The act of announcing, κηρύσσω, minimally required a powerful voice capable of being heard above the din of the crowd. Interestingly in the Greek world of antiquity, the person capable of κηρύσσω and doing it well became an important person in the community, occupying a prestigious social position. κηρύσσω is not so much about ‘screaming’ as it is about ‘being heard in the midst of other voices.’ While the New Testament certainly makes use of κηρύσσω in various passages, it is the action of κηρύσσω that is paramount, not the person doing the announcing, the basis of the Christian ministerial quip, ‘it is all about the Message, not the messenger.’ The point here is that κηρύσσω, especially in its original usage, is a very vibrant and dynamic word used to express the vitality of an essential message. We may be lulled into an image of preaching that is boring, monotone, blah-blah-blah, yada-yada-yada, but κηρύσσω says otherwise.

So what is the content of the κηρύσσω? The translation says “repentance.” The Greek here is once again very important as the text reads: “(ἵνα μετανοῶσιν, hina metavoosin).” The translation presents the noun “repentance” but the original Greek presents this as a verb – and it does so in a ‘hina clause.’ The Greek ἵνα (hina) is used to express purpose, ordering or direction. Actions that are the object of ἵνα are about results that are either desired or effected, in other words actions that may or may not happen. The key here is that we are talking about action, action, action – and – actions that have, by definition, outcomes one way or another. But when it comes to μετανοια (metanoia, click here for a previous blog entry on the topic of metanoia), the outcome action is partially dependent upon the will of the listener.

Thus, the Evangelist Saint Mark captures Jesus calling the Twelve to Himself to join-in and to share-in His Mission. He gives each His confident, convicted gut-level being to go forth and to speak through the noise of the day in such a way that the listeners will permit a radical and ongoing conversion in their lives to live the Kingdom of God. In doing so, we get some very concrete insights for pastoral ministry today, particularly in the arena of preaching. Ask any person on a given Sunday what a homily is and the responses will be as varied as the number of people queried. In equipping the Twelve with His ἐξουσία, we know that preaching today as in the days of Jesus’ Public Ministry demands the encounter with Jesus that sparks new relational living (a key element of the New Evangelization) so that one thinks, speaks and acts ‘from the gut’ with the mind, heart and gut of Jesus. The act of preaching requires Spirit and humanly formed art and technique to be heard through the cacophony of society with a clear view in mind that this announcing is ordered to the ongoing radial conversion of body, mind and heart; the continuous turning from the selfish addiction of sin to the Face of the Living God.

Week 15, Sunday. Evangelizing Thought of the Day (ETD)

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

48. The effects of such a negative environment on experiencing the faith and on the various forms of ecclesial life are generally described in the same manner in all the responses, namely, a weakening of faith in Christian communities, a diminished regard for the authority of the magisterium, an individualistic approach to belonging to the Church, a decline in religious practice and a disengagement in transmitting the faith to new generations. These effects, found in almost every bishops' conference response, indicate that the whole Church cannot overlook this cultural climate.
49. In this regard, the new evangelization takes the form of an appeal, a question which the Church raises about herself, so that she might muster her spiritual energy and be determined in this new cultural setting to take a clear and active role by acknowledging whatever is good in these new areas, while giving renewed vitality to her faith and her duty to evangelize. The adjective “new” refers to a cultural situation which has changed and the need for the Church, with renewed energy, determination, resourcefulness and newness, to look at the way she lives and transmits the faith. The responses indicate that this appeal has been taken to heart in a variety of ways in many areas of the Church, but not without a certain concern. They seem to show that many Christian communities have not fully perceived the challenge and the magnitude of the crisis generated by this cultural environment, even within the Church. In this regard, synodal discussion can assist in raising, in a timely, in-depth manner, an awareness of the seriousness of the challenges we are facing. Furthermore, the Synod can also take up the phenomenon of secularization, assessing both its positive and negative influences on Christianity and the challenges it poses for the Christian faith.
50. Not all indications, however, are negative. Indeed, efforts taking place in many Churches towards renewal are a sign of hope and a gift of the Holy Spirit. These Christian communities, most often religious groups and ecclesial movements, and in some cases, theological and cultural institutions, demonstrate by their activities, the real possibility of living the Christian faith through the proclamation of the Gospel, even within this cultural setting. Among these experiences, the particular Churches note, with gratitude and concern, the many young people who contribute a certain newness and enthusiasm to these groups. In acknowledging their many gifts, these same Churches are working to ensure that these gifts are extended throughout the Christian population, and attentively are following their duty of nurturing this experience, from a relatively early age, and, at the same time, highlighting both its strong points and its limitations. (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 2: Time for a New Evangelization,” paragraph 48-50)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

The LORD is king, with majesty enrobed. The LORD has robed himself with might; he has girded himself with power. (Psalm 93:1, Liturgy of the Hours: Morning Prayer).

COLLECT

O God, Who show the light of Your truth
to those who go astray,
so that they may return to the right path,
give all who for the faith they profess
are accounted Christians
the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the Name of Christ
and to strive after all that does It honor.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

Today’s 3 paragraphs bring the section “The Question of a “New Evangelization”” to a close. In doing so, the Instrumentum Laboris notes practical unanimity among the world’s episcopal conferences in citing challenges facing the Church: “a weakening of faith in Christian communities, a diminished regard for the authority of the magisterium, an individualistic approach to belonging to the Church, a decline in religious practice and a disengagement in transmitting the faith to new generations.” Sadly, the Instrumentum Laboris also notes the ‘head-in-the-sand’ approach to these problems as “many Christian communities have not fully perceived the challenge and the magnitude of the crisis generated by this cultural environment, even within the Church.” But at the same time the Instrumentum Laboris reports areas in the Church where signs of hope are fueling renewal, particularly among young people.

Consider:

• Why do you think some parts of the Church have not perceived the “challenge and magnitude of the crisis”?
• How can parishes balance ‘life-as-usual’/‘need-to-meet-the-needs-of-today’ approach with the demands of the New Evangelization?

Week 14, Saturday. Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha. Evangelizing Thought of the Day (ETD)

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

45. What is the "new evangelization?" Blessed Pope John Paul II, in his first discourse to the bishops of Latin America, sanctioned and defined the term which received great resonance in the Church: “The commemoration of this half of the millennium of evangelization will achieve its full meaning, if as bishops, with your priests and faithful, you accept it as your commitment; a commitment, not of re-evangelization, but rather of a new evangelization; new in its ardor, methods and expression.” Some time later, at a different time, addressing the Church in Europe, the Pontiff made a similar appeal, emphasizing "the urgent need for a 'new evangelization', in the awareness that 'Europe today must not simply appeal to its former Christian heritage: it needs to be able to decide about its future in conformity with the person and message of Jesus Christ'."
46. In its initial stage, the new evangelization responds to a demand that the Church have the courage to rise to the occasion in order to take bold steps in revitalizing her spiritual and missionary vocation. Christian communities, affected by the strong social and cultural changes taking place, need once again to find the energy and means to ground themselves solidly in the presence of the Risen Christ, who animates them from within. They must allow themselves to be guided by his Spirit so that they can newly experience the gift of communion with the Father which is theirs in Jesus Christ, and, in turn, offer to others this same experience as the most precious gift that can be possessed. 47. Responses to the Lineamenta were in accord with the words of Pope John Paul II. In addressing the specific question — "what is the new evangelization?" — many overwhelmingly indicated that the new evangelization is precisely the Church's ability to renew her communal experience of faith and to proclaim it within the new situations which, in recent decades, have arisen in cultures. The same phenomenon is taking place in both the North and South and the East and West; in both countries with an age-old Christian tradition and countries which have been evangelized within the last few centuries. The coalescing of social and cultural factors — conventionally designated by the term "globalization" — has initiated a process which is weakening traditions and institutions and thereby rapidly eroding both social and cultural ties as well as their ability to communicate values and provide answers to perennial questions regarding life's meaning and the truth. The result is a significant fragmentation of cultural unity and a culture's inability to hold fast to the faith and live the values inspired by it. (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 2: Time for a New Evangelization,” paragraph 45-47)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name through all the earth!. (Psalm 8:2, Liturgy of the Hours: Morning Prayer).

COLLECT

O God, Who desired the Virgin Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
to flower among Native Americans in a life of innocence,
grant, through her intercession,
that when all are gathered into your Church
from every nation, tribe and tongue,
they may magnify you in a single canticle of praise.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

The next section entitled “The Question of a “New Evangelization,”” gets at an important question: just what is the “New Evangelization?” Papal teaching is quite clear that what makes the New Evangelization “new” is essentially its pastoral methodology expressed in the Instrumentum Laboris as “ardor, methods and expression.” The Who and What of evangelization remains unchanged: the Person, Jesus Christ. “How” He is proclaimed constitutes the newness of evangelization in our times. This is not something new for the sake of new: it is to address the alarming, painful and urgent situation in our Church – many have left the practice of the faith. Remedying the situation is not about forming another committee, sitting through interminable meetings and developing programs. These activities often produce nothing except more bureaucracy, reams of reports and frustration. Paragraph 46 suggests that an initial step involves recapturing both the spiritual and missionary elements of ecclesial life, followed by ‘de-fragging’ the divisions that have moved into life and culture and have eroded the sense of the Sacred (paragraph 47).

Consider:

• As an individual believer grounded in the life of Christ and His Body the Church, how can you foster both the spiritual and missionary elements of life?
• What cultural fragmentation do you deal with in life? How will a spiritual and missionary vision of life heal that fragmentation?

Week 14, Thursday. Evangelizing Thought of the Day (ETD)

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

43. The causes of the social changes which we have witnessed in recent decades are complex, tracing their origins far back in time and radically affecting our perception of the world. The positive aspects of these changes are visible to all and are seen as invaluable contributions which have permitted the development of human culture and increased knowledge in many fields. However, these changes have also caused many to take a critical look at values and some fundamental aspects of daily life which deeply affect people's faith. In this regard, Pope Benedict XVI stated: "If on the one hand humanity has derived undeniable benefits from these changes, and the Church has drawn from them further incentives for bearing witness to the hope that is within her (cf. 1 Pt 3:15), on the other hand, there has been a troubling loss of the sense of the sacred, which has even called into question foundations once deemed unshakeable, such as faith in a provident creator God, the revelation of Jesus Christ as the one Saviour, and a common understanding of basic human experiences: i.e., birth, death, life in a family, and reference to a natural moral law. Even though some consider these things a kind of liberation, there soon follows an awareness that an interior desert results, whenever the human being, wishing to be the sole architect of his nature and destiny, finds himself deprived of that which is the very foundation of all things."
44. This critical situation in society — and also in the Christian life — demands a response. At this special moment in history, the Church needs to see how to muster greater energy in rendering an account for the hope we share (cf. 1 Pet 3:15). The term "new evangelization" calls for a new manner of proclaiming the Gospel, especially for those who live in the present-day situation which is affected by the growing trend of secularization, taking place to a great extent in countries with a Christian tradition. With this in mind, the idea of a new evangelization has come to term in the Church and has been implemented in a great variety of ways in an ongoing study up to now about its precise meaning. Initially, the new evangelization was primarily viewed as a necessity, then as a work of discernment and finally as an impetus for the Church in our times. (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 2: Time for a New Evangelization,” paragraph 43 and 44)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

O shepherd of Israel, hear us, You who lead Joseph like a flock: enthroned on the cherubim, shine forth upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh. Rouse up your might and come to save us. (Psalm 80:2-3, Liturgy of the Hours, Morning Prayer).

COLLECT

O God, Who in the abasement of Your Son
have raised up a fallen world,
fill Your faithful with holy joy,
for on those You have rescued from slavery to sin
You bestow eternal gladness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

The final paragraphs of “Time for a New Evangelization” begin on a balanced note concerning advances in contemporary society. While acknowledging complex factors that have shaped current culture, the Instrumentum Laboris notes elements of cultural advancement that have contributed to both society and Church alike. One might ponder, though, whether the ‘cost’ of such advancement is worth the loss of the sacred and the escalating secularism that bellows an odious narcissism aggressively attempting to redefine fundamental realities of the natural order.

Consider:

• Pope Benedict spoke about an “interior desert” that forms when humanity seeks to be the architect of her or his destiny. How can the Church help all people to discover “the interior desert”?

Week 14, Saint Benedict. Evangelizing Thought of the Day (ETD)

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

41. The missionary mandate which the Church received from the Risen Lord (cf. Mk 16:15) has assumed new forms and methods over time, depending on the places and situations where it was realized and various moments in history. Even though proclaiming the Gospel in our day is much more complicated than in the past, the Church's task is one and the same as from the very beginning. Since the mission has not changed, it can be rightly said that we can make our own, even today, the enthusiasm and courage which characterized the Apostles and early disciples. The Holy Spirit, who moved them to throw open the doors of the Cenacle and sent them forth as evangelizers (cf. Acts 2: 1-4), is the same Spirit who guides the Church today and prompts a renewed proclamation of hope to the people of our time.
42. The Second Vatican Council reminds us that “groups among which the Church dwells are often radically changed, for one reason or other, so that an entirely new set of circumstances may arise.” With far-reaching perception, the Council Fathers saw on the horizon the cultural change we readily witness today. This change, which has created an unexpected situation for believers, requires special attention in proclaiming the Gospel, if we are to render an account of our faith in the present situation which, unlike in the past, has a variety of new and important aspects. (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 2: Time for a New Evangelization,” paragraph 41 and 42)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

Seek always the face of the Lord. (Psalm 105:4, Mass).

COLLECT

O God, who made the Abbot Saint Benedict
an outstanding master in the school of divine service,
grant, we pray, that, putting nothing before love of you,
we may hasten with a loving heart in the way of your commands.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

We have made our way through the first chapter of the Instrumentum Laboris and before plunging into the challenges of the second chapter, it is vital to take with us the central hermeneutic of the Synod: the personal encounter with Jesus Christ in Word and Sacrament that forms a relationship with Him in His Body, the Church summoning each and all to conversion and faith.

In groups of people who have been prayerfully reflecting and studying the Lineamenta, it is interesting to note how Catholic Christians (and indeed all Christian) understand the theological vocabulary. It seems that when Catholics open the ‘Catholic Lexicon’ to a particular word, we only read the first entry, ignoring meaning 2, 3 or 4 – all of which are valid AND necessary for a grasp of the Faith that is engaging and sparks a desire to “full, active and conscious participation” in the life of Jesus.

Case in point: the Instrumentum Laboris references Jesus’ “missionary mandate” at the outset of chapter 2. The difficulty is that most Catholics understand anything connected with “missionary” to mean ‘missionary people working is a distant, normally poor, country.’ ‘Missionary work’ is a work that special people in the Church do, not me. The Gospel certainly views “mission” in a very broad and encompassing vision and does so in a way that recognizes the need to adapt and ‘tweak’ our faith expressions as needed for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to speak to the signs of the times.

Consider:

• Theological words have rich and deep meanings. How can we as a Church help our members to grasp the urgency and necessity of ongoing faith development?
• How do I understand Jesus’ “Missionary Mandate?” Is there a need for “missionary work” in the geography of my life?

Week 14, Tuesday. Evangelizing Thought of the Day (ETD)

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

39. What is so painstakingly described in the beginning of the Church has sometimes reoccurred in her history. On many occasions, a weakening of ferver in one's relationship with Christ has adversely affected the caliber of the life of faith and the experience of participating in the Trinitarian life, which is bound to it. For this reason, we cannot forget that the proclamation of the Gospel is primarily a spiritual matter. The need to transmit the faith, which is essentially an ecclesial, communal event and not singly or done alone, should not result from seeking effective communication strategies or in choosing a certain group of recipients — for example, young people — but must look to who is entrusted with this spiritual work. The Church must question herself in this matter. This allows the problem to be approached not in an extrinsic manner but from within, involving the entire life and being of the Church. Many particular Churches request that the Synod determine whether the lack of effects in evangelization today, as well as in catechesis in modern times, is primarily the result of ecclesial and spiritual factors. This concerns the Church's ability to live as a real community, as a true brotherhood and as a Living Body and not simply a human establishment.
40. In knowing how to maintain the fundamental spiritual character of evangelization, the Church can allow herself to be formed by the action of the Holy Spirit and be conformed to Christ Crucified, who reveals to the world the face of the love of God and communion with him. In so doing, she can become more aware of her vocation as Ecclesia Mater by begetting children for the Lord in transmitting the faith and teaching a love which nurtures her children. At the same time, she fulfills her responsibility to proclaim and bear witness to this Revelation of God and gather her people scattered throughout the world, thereby fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy which the Church Fathers understood as addressed to her, "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; hold not back, lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your descendants will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities" (Is 54:2, 3 ). (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 1,” paragraph 39 and 40)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

The house of Israel trusts in the Lord. (Psalm 115:9, Mass).

COLLECT

O God, Who in the abasement of Your Son
have raised up a fallen world,
fill Your faithful with holy joy,
for on those You have rescued from slavery to sin
You bestow eternal gladness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

Today’s 2 paragraphs brings the section, “Evangelization and Church Renewal,” to a close. Some points already surfaced in the Instrumentum Laboris continue to be addressed, notably the fervor “in one’s relationship with Christ.” The document notes the “proclamation of the Gospel is primarily a spiritual matter” and “essentially an ecclesial, communal event.” In other words, there is something different about the Gospel that does not fit into a secular, materialistic, minimalistic or God-on-my-terms approach to Christian living. The remedy in the proclamation of the Gospel lies not in targeting particular groups in the parish but pastoral action that is always about the entire Body of Christ, “healed of all divisions.”

Consider:

• How does your parish engage the proclamation of the Gospel: to all or to targeted groups within the parish?
• What is the danger of ‘the sports groups Mass on Sunday,’ ‘the sodality Mass on Sunday,’ or any other group?

Week 14, Monday. Evangelizing Thought of the Day (ETD)

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

37. The Church is an evangelizer, but she begins by being evangelized herself. She is "the community of believers, the community of hope lived and communicated, the community of brotherly love, and she needs to listen unceasingly to what she must believe, to her reasons for hoping, to the new commandment of love. She is the People of God immersed in the world and often tempted by idols, and she always needs to hear the proclamation of the 'mighty works of God', which converted her to the Lord; she always needs to be called together afresh by him and reunited. In brief, this means that she has a constant need of being evangelized if she wishes to retain freshness, vigor and strength in order to proclaim the Gospel." The Second Vatican Council has strongly taken up the subject of the Church who is evangelized by constant conversion and renewal in order to evangelize the world with credibility. In this regard, the words of Pope Paul VI still have meaning today as he reaffirms the priority of evangelization and reminds the faithful: "It would be useful if every Christian and every evangelizer were to pray about the following thought: men can gain salvation also in other ways, by God's mercy, even though we do not preach the Gospel to them; but as for us, can we gain salvation if through negligence or fear or shame — what St. Paul called 'blushing for the Gospel' — or as a result of false ideas we fail to preach it?" More than one response has proposed that this subject be specifically treated during the synod's deliberations.
38. Since her origin, the Church has had to deal with similar difficulties as well as the sinfulness of her members. The story of the disciples of Emmaus (cf. Lk 24:13-35) is emblematic of the fact that knowledge of Christ can fail. The two disciples from Emmaus speak of a dead man (cf. Lk 24:21-24) and relate their disappointment and hopelessness. These disciples demonstrate the possibility for the Church in every age to be the bearer of a message that does not give life, but stops short in the death of the Christ who is proclaimed, in the announcers themselves, and, consequently, in the recipients of the announcement also. St. John the Evangelist's account of the Apostles who were fishing (cf. Jn 21.1 to 14) describes a similar experience. Apart from Christ, the disciples' efforts are fruitless. Just as for the disciples of Emmaus, only when the Risen Christ manifests himself to them does their trust and the joy of proclaiming return as the fruits of the work of evangelization. Only in strongly attaching himself to Christ once again, is St. Peter, who had been called "fisher of men" (Lk 5:10), able to successfully cast the nets, trusting in the Lord's words. (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 1,” paragraph 37 and 38)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

The Lord is gracious and merciful. (Psalm 145:8, Mass).

COLLECT

O God, Who in the abasement of Your Son
have raised up a fallen world,
fill Your faithful with holy joy,
for on those You have rescued from slavery to sin
You bestow eternal gladness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

Early on in the seminary, one of our professors gave us a wise saying, “Nemo dat quod non habet (One cannot give what one does not have).” It is a quip worth considering in this section of the Instrumentum Laboris that examines “Evangelization and Church Renewal.” While the Lineamenta examined 6 sectors of contemporary life that pose challenges to Gospel proclamation and conversion of heart, the Church Herself must also look at ways in which Jesus Christ has been preached and ask, ‘have we done, with the Lord’s gratuitous grace, our best?’ As a Divinely founded community, the Church is admittedly composed of sinners – and as such, we kneel in need of the Father’s mercy. In referencing the account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus and Peter’s post-Easter confession of Faith, the Instrumentum Laboris clearly echoes the necessary Christian message of hope and renewal for the lives of all.

Consider:

• As we consider the evangelizing and renewal of the Church, what responsibility do I as an individual believer have in these concerns?
• How has my living of the Gospel contributed or stifled the evangelizing and renewal of the Church?

Ordinary Time, Sunday 14. Words of the Word.

ANTIPHON

Your merciful love, O God, we have received in the midst of Your temple. Your praise, O God, like Your name, reaches the ends of the earth; Your right hand is filled with saving justice (Psalm 48:10-11)

COLLECT

O God, Who in the abasement of Your Son
have raised up a fallen world,
fill Your faithful with holy joy,
for on those You have rescued from slavery to sin
You bestow eternal gladness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy. (Psalm 123:2).

GOSPEL EXCERPT

“Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples.
When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue,
and many who heard him were astonished.
They said, "Where did this man get all this?
What kind of wisdom has been given him?
What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!
Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary,
and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?
And are not his sisters here with us?"
And they took offense (ἐσκανδαλίζοντο, eskandalizonto) at him.
Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and among his own kin and in his own house.”
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
He was amazed (ἐθαύμαζεν, ethaumazen) at their lack of faith (ἀπιστίαν, apistian). (Mark 6:1-6).”

REFLECTION

Permit a return to the Gospel episodes proclaimed last week. Jairus trusted that Jesus would, somehow – someway, accomplish an appropriate work responding to his daughter’s death. The Afflicted Woman knew that all she had to do was touch Jesus’ clothes and she would be well. These 2 actions - trusting and knowing – form core elements of Biblical faith. As mentioned last week, faith is not a thing. It is not a commodity that can increase provided one learns a proper technique. Faith is a way of living and a way of responding to the encounter with the Person Jesus. In the encounter with Him, the disciple knows to the core of her or his being that Jesus’ direction for life is the only path for that gift of eternal healing known as salvation.

Against that backdrop, Jesus returns to one of his home bases during the Public Ministry. It is here that the evangelist Mark records all sorts of questions dealing with one of the principle questions of the Gospels, “Who is Jesus?” It is a question whose answer is not as easy as one might think. Indeed one can spout phrases from the Creed or a catechism. One can hurl bible quotes dazzling the listener(s) with one’s memorizing skills. But is all of this reflecting a type of knowledge at the core of one’s being that daily challenges the disciple to daily conversion and to daily embrace of the Cross? It is obvious that many of the close relatives and friends of Jesus had Him ‘figured out.’ Jesus is a carpenter and the slam here is that no one who works with His hands could ever have the requisite wisdom to teach “us” in the synagogue. We know His mother. We know His close relatives; therefore case closed and we will not listen because we have Him sized up and of course, we know it all, we know better!

The Evangelist Mark summarizes the situation in writing, “And they took offense (ἐσκανδαλίζοντο, eskandalizonto) at him.” “To cause scandal (σκανδαλίζω, skandalizo)” or “a scandal (σκάνδαλον, skandalon)” is used often in the Sacred Scriptures in reference to sin. In the biblical world, σκανδαλίζω (skandalizo) meant “to put a stumbling block in the path of another that caused one to trip and fall.” Particularly horrifying are some lexicons that note this was done to a blind person! When dealing with σκανδαλίζω (skandalizo) we are dealing with an action that is serious, knowledge that the action is serious and consent of the will (sound familiar?). σκανδαλίζω (skandalizo) is not an accidental action. In the case of Jesus’ visit, His family and friends have put a stumbling block in front of themselves causing themselves to trip over the true identity of Jesus. It is not that they are ignorant, in truth, their ‘factual’ grasp of Jesus is quite accurate but they will not permit this factual knowledge to make deeper connections. They are satisfied with what they know and it enables a ‘comfortable’ approach to Jesus.

Jesus is affected certainly by the approach of His family and friends, “He was amazed (ἐθαύμαζεν, ethaumazen) at their lack of faith (ἀπιστίαν, apistian).” Often, the Gospels use ἐθαύμαζεν (ethaumazen) to describe the astonishment of the crowd when Jesus taught or healed. ἐθαύμαζεν (ethaumazen) expresses a powerful pondering attempting to make connections between the present reality of the here-and-now with the transcendence of eternity. However, when knowledge is willfully skewed coupled with a decision not to trust, even the Son of God sadly and profoundly asks, “Why?”

Week 14, Sunday. Evangelizing Thought of the Day (ETD)

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

35. The mission of the Apostles and its continuation in the primitive Church remain the basic model for evangelization at all times as a mission often marked by martyrdom, which is witnessed not only at the beginning of the history of Christianity but also in the last century, and even in our own times. Martyrdom gives credibility to those who bear witness; they do not seek power or gain, but give their very lives for Christ. They show the world the defenceless yet powerful love for humanity, which is given to those who follow Christ to the point of totally surrendering their lives, as Jesus proclaimed: "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you" (Jn 15:20). However, erroneous beliefs unfortunately exist which limit the duty to proclaim the Good News. In fact, "there is today a growing confusion which leads many to leave the missionary command of the Lord unheard and ineffective (cf. Mt 28:19). Often it is maintained that any attempt to convince others on religious matters is a limitation of their freedom. From this perspective, it would only be legitimate to present one's own ideas and to invite people to act according to their consciences, without aiming at their conversion to Christ and to the Catholic faith. It is enough, so they say, to help people to become more human or more faithful to their own religion; it is enough to build communities which strive for justice, freedom, peace and solidarity. Furthermore, some maintain that Christ should not be proclaimed to those who do not know him, nor should joining the Church be promoted, since it would also be possible to be saved without explicit knowledge of Christ and without formal incorporation in the Church."
36. Although non-Christians can be saved through the grace which God bestows in ways known only to himself,[28] the Church cannot overlook the fact that each person seeks to know the true face of God and to enjoy today the friendship of Jesus Christ, God-with-us. Adhering fully to Christ, the Truth, and becoming a member of his Church does not diminish human freedom, but rather enhances it and leads it to fulfilment through a selfless love and caring for the welfare of all people. What a priceless gift it is to live in the universal embrace of God's friends, which comes from communion with the life-giving flesh and blood of his Son, to receive from him the certainty that our sins are forgiven and to live in the love which is born of faith! The Church desires that everyone should partake of these riches, so that they may have the fullness of truth and the means of salvation "to obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God" (Rm 8:21). The Church, who proclaims and transmits the faith, imitates God himself who communicates with humanity by giving his Son, who, in turn, pours out the Holy Spirit so that people can be reborn as children of God. (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 1,” paragraph 35 and 36)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy. (Psalm 123:2, Mass).

COLLECT

O God, Who in the abasement of Your Son
have raised up a fallen world,
fill Your faithful with holy joy,
for on those You have rescued from slavery to sin
You bestow eternal gladness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

Brining the section “The Duty to Evangelize” to a close, the Instrumentum Laboris notes a particularly timely aspect of our culture: “Often it is maintained that any attempt to convince others on religious matters is a limitation of their freedom. From this perspective, it would only be legitimate to present one’s own ideas and to invite people to act according to their consciences, without aiming at their conversion to Christ and to the Catholic faith.” The calculated exclusion of any matter even remotely connected with a religious reality is not even tolerated in many sectors of society. Equally dangerous is a view that attempts to split religion and spirituality. As many readers no doubt have heard, many contend that religion is somehow ‘man made’ and spirituality is a freedom (of sorts?) from religious views that are judged oppressive.

Consider:

• In addressing the causes of atheism, the Church expressed in Gaudium et Spes (19) that 1 of the reasons for atheism lies with 'believers who conceal rather an reveal the authentic Face of Jesus Christ.' Is there any responsibility that believers must shoulder for how religion is perceived in our world?
• What is the appeal of a 'religionless spirituality?'

Week 13, Saturday. Evangelizing Thought of the Day (ETD)

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

33. Every person has the right to hear the Gospel of God to humanity, which is Jesus Christ. Like the Samaritan woman at the well, humanity today needs to hear the words of Jesus: "If you knew the gift of God" (Jn 4:10), because these words elicit the deep desire for salvation which lies in everyone: "Lord, give me this water, that I may not thirst" (Jn 4:15). This right of every person to hear the Gospel is clearly stated by St. Paul. Tireless in his preaching, he looks upon his work of proclaiming the Gospel as a duty, because he understood its universal significance: "For if I preach the Gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I preach not the Gospel" (1 Cor 9:16). Every man and woman should be able to say, like him, that "Christ loved us and gave himself up for us" (Eph 5:2). Furthermore, every man and women should be able to feel drawn into an intimate and transforming relationship which the proclamation of the Gospel creates between us and Christ: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:20). To give others the possibility of having a similar experience requires that someone be sent to proclaim it: "How are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?" (Rm 10:14 which repeats Is 52:1).
34. We can therefore understand how every one of the Church's actions has an essential evangelizing character and must never be separated from the duty to help others encounter Christ in faith, the primary goal of evangelization. If as a Church, "we bring people only knowledge, ability or technical skill and tools, we bring them too little." The original reason for evangelization is the love of Christ which seeks to bring everyone to eternal salvation. The one desire of genuine evangelizers is to give freely what they have freely received: "From the very origins of the Church the disciples of Christ strove to convert men to faith in Christ as the Lord; not, however, by the use of coercion or of devices unworthy of the Gospel, but by the power, above all, of the word of God." (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 1,” paragraph 33 and 34)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

The Lord speaks of peace to his people. (Psalm 85:9, Mass).

COLLECT

O God, Who through the grace of adoption
chose us to be children of light,
grant, we pray,
that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error
but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

Under the subtitle, “The Duty to Evangelize,” today’s selections from the Instrumentum Laboris address a fundamental right that every human person has to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Obviously this act of “hearing” is more than just the words of the Gospel ‘hitting the ear.’ Once again, we are reminded that the Gospel is a Person, Jesus Christ. This “hearing” is actually an encounter whereby the ‘words of the Word’ take root in a person’s heart in such a way that leads to daily conversion of heart, mind and body. It logically flows that if “hearing” the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a right for all people, somebody must proclaim and hand-on this Person. The proclamation and handing-on of Jesus is done, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, in a very human way.

Another critical insight of today’s selection is a quote from the Holy Father’s 2006 homily in Munich: “If as a Church, "we bring people only knowledge, ability or technical skill and tools, we bring them too little.” Once again, the focus of the New Evangelization is most clear: a Person, Jesus Christ Who offers an encounter that brings communion with Him.


Consider:

• Catholic Christianity has often been pegged as ‘pray, pay and obey.’ What can be done to correct this perception?
• Is your parish engaged in ‘handing-on’ the Person, Jesus - OR - does your parish merely provide “knowledge, ability or technical skill and tools” under the guise of Catholic education?

Week 13, Friday. Evangelizing Thought of the Day

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

31. Evangelization consists in proposing the Gospel which transforms the human individual, his world and his personal story. The Church evangelizes when, in virtue of the power of the Gospel proclaimed (cf. Rm 1:16), she takes every human experience and gives it rebirth through the death and resurrection of Jesus (cf. Rm 6:4), immersing each one in the newness of Baptism and life according to the Gospel and in the Son's relationship to his Father, so as to feel the power of the Spirit. The transmission of the faith is the goal of evangelization which, according to the divine plan, is to bring all people through Christ to the Father in the Spirit (cf. Eph 2:18). This experience of the newness of the Gospel transforms every person. Today, we can hold to this conviction with greater surety, because history has left us extraordinary examples of courage, dedication, boldness, intuition and reason in the Church's work of bringing the Gospel to every person, acts of holiness which are displayed in a variety of notable and significant ways on every continent. Every particular Church can boast of persons of outstanding holiness, who have been able to give renewed power and energy to the work of evangelization through their activities and, primarily, through their witness. Their example of holiness also provides prophetic and clear indications in devising new ways to live out the task of evangelization. They have repeatedly left us accounts in their writings, prayers, models and methods of teaching, spiritual journeys, journeys of initiation into the faith, works and educational institutions.
32. While strongly referring to the power of these examples of holiness, some responses also mention the difficulties in making these experiences contemporary and transmissible. Sometimes, it seems that these historical works not only belong to a past age, but are almost confined there, because they lack the ability to communicate the evangelical character of their witness in the present-day. The Synod is asked to discuss these difficulties and attempt to discover the underlying reasons why the activities and witness of various Church institutions lack credibility when they speak as bearers of the Gospel of God. (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 1,” paragraph 31 and 32)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

Cry out with joy to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing for joy. (Psalm 100:1-2, Liturgy of the Hours: Morning Prayer).

COLLECT

O God, Who through the grace of adoption
chose us to be children of light,
grant, we pray,
that we may not be wrapped in the darkness of error
but always be seen to stand in the bright light of truth.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

Proposing the Gospel in such a way that transforms the person, the person’s world and the person’s story is a task that is joined to proposing the lives of the saints so that their witness may not remain ‘just a story’ shackled to a particular historical era. Both are urgent tasks because they serve a greater hermeneutic of the New Evangelization: the personal encounter with the Person Jesus – Who, in the power of the Holy Spirit – leads all people to His Father through Word and Sacrament in His Body, the Church.

Too often, even among the parishioners who are ‘engaged in the parish,’ a school, an organization or an activity defines parish participation and as such, is the essence of Faith practice for that person or persons. Many in pastoral ministry know well the difficulties when a parish school closes or a cherished, time-honored activity of the parish that was inaugurated by a relative generations ago ceases to be. In dealing with much of the emotion that naturally surfaces in these events, it is quite difficult to hear any talk of the Person Jesus, His Word and Sacraments.

Consider:

• How do we propose the Faith so that the encounter with Jesus Christ is experienced as central?
• What do the lives of the Saints have to offer us today in our current cultural climate?

Week 13 Saint Thomas, Apostle. Evangelizing Thought of the Day

DAILY SEQUENTIAL EXCERPTS from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris:

28. The Gospel of God's love for us, the call to take part in the life of the Father, through Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, is a gift meant for everyone. We proclaim Jesus himself, who calls everyone to conversion for the Kingdom of God. To emphasize this fact, Jesus drew especially near to those on the margins of society, giving them special favour, when he proclaimed the Gospel. At the beginning of his ministry, he proclaimed that he was sent to preach the good news to the poor (cf. Lk 4:18). To those despised and dejected, Jesus declares: "Blessed are you poor" (Lk 6:20) and, by standing with them, enables these individuals already to experience a sense of freedom (cf. Lk 5:30; 15:2). He eats with them, treats them as brothers and sisters and as friends (cf. Lk 7:34) and helps them to feel loved by God, thus revealing his great compassion for sinners and those in need.
29. The freedom and salvation brought by the Kingdom of God touch every human person both physically and spiritually. Two actions are attached to Jesus' work of evangelization: healing and forgiving. Multiple miracles of healing clearly demonstrate his great compassion in the face of human misery. They also indicate that, in the Kingdom, there will no longer be sickness and suffering and that, from the outset, his mission is aimed at freeing people from sickness and suffering (cf. Rev 21:4). Jesus' miracles of healing are also a sign of the salvation of the spirit, namely liberation from sin. In performing acts of healing, he invites people to faith, conversion and a desire for forgiveness (cf. Lk 5:24). Received in faith, healing leads to salvation (cf. Lk 18:42). Deliverance from demonic possession, the ultimate evil and symbol of sin and rebellion against God, is a sign that "the Kingdom of God has come upon you" (Mt 12:28) and that the Gospel, a gift of salvation meant for every person, initiates us into a process of transformation and participation in the life of God, who renews us in the present moment. (Instrumentum Laboris, “Chapter 1,” paragraph 28 and 29)

PSALM for TODAY (click for full Psalm)

For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the poor with salvation. Let the faithful exult in glory, and rejoice as they take their rest. (Psalm 149:4-5, Liturgy of the Hours: Morning Prayer).

COLLECT

Grant, almighty God,
that we may glory in the Feast of the blessed Apostle Thomas,
so that we may always be sustained by his intercession and,
believing, may have life in the name of Jesus Christ your Son,
whom Thomas acknowledged as the Lord.
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
for ever and ever.

EVANGELIZING THOUGHT of the DAY (ETD)

Healing and forgiving – two actions of Jesus’ Public Ministry that define His offer of the Gospel to all people – are two actions that characterize a disciple’s life and the communal life of the local and universal Church, with particular attention to the marginalized and disenfranchised of the community. Here is where the Instrumentum Laboris is already of assistance to the Church. Many parish activities and organizations mirror Jesus' Public Ministry while other organizations sometimes have parishioners asking, "Why are we sponsoring this?"

Consider:

• How does your living of Christianity mirror Jesus' healing and forgiving actions?
• Do all of your parish's activities and organizations reflect Jesus' healing and forgiving or do they serve another purpose or agenda?