| CONTENTS Preface Prologue |
ANTIOCH WEEKEND LEADERS MANUAL |
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THE CHURCH AND THE WORLDORTHE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT |
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| Introduction
to the Antioch Weekend
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THE INTRODUCTION: Speaker: Preferably a priest; perhaps a mature layman Duration: 45 minutes Purpose: To give the theological framework for the apostolate. To clarify the need for redemption (building on "The Work of Christ"). To introduce God the Holy Spirit and the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. To present to the students what is involved in the mission of the Church and what their part in it is. Style: Clear and explanatory, making sense of fundamental truths. Confident of the power of God, the need of the world for redemption, and the importance of the Church (as a community and an institution) and its mission - never apologetic or timid. Serious, but joyful about the offer of God and the greatness of our call. Progression: "The Church and the World" is in three parts. The first part defines the problem - the world and its need of redemption. The second part explains the action of God in overcoming the problem and bringing men a new power and a new life. The final part discusses the Church as the continuation of God's work in history and the role of Christians in remaking the world. The progression of the talk centers around man's need and the importance of the Holy Spirit and the Church for meeting man's need. The main point of the talk is that man's problems are caused by his separation from God, and that the Holy Spirit and the Church can overcome this separation and therefore transform the world. In the first section an analysis of the state of the world as God sees it. In the second section what God has done through the coming of the Holy Spirit is explained. In this section the actual effect of the coming of the Holy Spirit in removing the separation from God and transforming men is described. Finally, in the third section, the Church is presented as both the result of the work of the Holy Spirit and the instrument of His future work in the world. The third sections describes the Church and the work which it has done as the instrument of the Holy Spirit.
THE OUTLINE: I. THE WORLD AND SIN A. The confusion in the use of the word "world" (flee it and live it). B. All creatures are basically good. C. Yet there is something bad about the world (it is in sin). 1. Inadequate concepts of sin a. The Black Stain Theory: sin is some kind of interior, subjective disposition. b. The Rat-in-the-Maze Theory: life is an obstacle course which God set up to test us and see if we fall (sin). 2. Sin is objective, and it makes a real difference to things. a. Sin is separation from God - the source of all else wrong. b. Sin is disorder in society. c. Sin is dis-integration in the individual. 3. We are helpless against sin (world, flesh, and devil.) II. THE INTER VENTION OF GOD A. God loved the world and wanted to save it. B. He sent His Son to overcome the separation (bridge the gap). C. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to change men (Pentecost: Acts 2). 1. The Holy Spirit is God in the world overcoming sin and transforming all things. 2. He offers wisdom (guidance) and power by living in us. 3. He formed disciples into body of Christ to continue His work. III. THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH A. There is a need for us to have a right understanding of the Church. 1. The Church is not just a human institution, nor just a human community. 2. It is the new creation in the Holy Spirit, the Body of Christ with His mission it is a community that is structured (hierarchically). B. We are the Church 1. When the Holy Spirit lives in us, we are living members of the body of Christ. 2. We have our part in the mission of the whole Church. C. The work of the Church Through the Church the Holy Spirit moves in history to transform the world into Christ. 1. The incorporation of all men into Christ. The Church works to bring all men to life in the Holy Spirit (in the body of Christ). 2. The transformation of the world. We are called to bring all men to Christ and to remake all of human life. a. God's plan is for all of creation in every respect. b. Christ's love involved not only preaching, but also feeding hungry, curing sick, etc. - this to the implications of Christ's mission in the modern world (family life, culture, economic life, social concern, politics, peace, international life, etc.). D. The end - the complete establishment of the kingdom of God (Apoc. 21:1-8).
THE COMMENTARY THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD "The Church and the World" or "The Work of the Holy Spirit", as the first talk on Sunday sets the framework for the rest of the talks. Its presents the theological background to everything that will be said during Sunday. This talk presents a special difficulty in comprehension. It is attempting to give the students on the Weekend a different understanding of some very common ideas. The new understanding makes it much easier for them to see the significance of redemp-tion, but because they have heard the words before, they will have a hard time expanding this understanding of these words. They are unused to thinking about sin as an objective fact, as whatever is against the will of God. For them it will be con-nected completely with guilt. The world for them will be simply every created thing, and the Biblical notion of the evil world will be foreign to them ( or they will be rebellion against the notion that the Christian should flee the world.) The Church, for all the work of the Council, will be primarily an institution, or perhaps if they have been influenced by some modern thought, simply Christians everywhere without any refer-ence to any institution. To give them a new view will not be easy, but if the talk is clearly presented, they will begin to see something new that they never thought about before. They key to understanding the talk is understanding the idea of the objective nature of sin. One possible definition of sin is as conscious act with involves guilt. But there is a more fundamental conception of sin. God would not be happy with the world even if there were not personal guilt. It does not follow His plan. It is in disorder and separation from Him. Personal guilt is somewhat secondary and consequence of the more fundamen-tal difficulty. It there were no personal guilt, God would still have to do something to save the world. Another key to under-standing the talk is realizing the importance of idea of separa-tion from God. It is man's separation from God that is the root cause of every other difficulty. If man where in a perfect union with God all would be well. The fullness of God's presence with it's creative and healing love would completely transform every-thing. Therefore, the main wok of Christ and of the Holy Spirit is overcoming the separation between God and man. By the over-coming of this separation, the world will be in a position to be truly transformed. This is not to say, of course, that union of God automatically cures every problem. Specific problem still have to be dealt with. But it is to say that God is offering through union with Him the only possibility of fully transforming the world. Psychologically, this talk can have a great effect. Everyone knows that the evil he experiences, both in his sur-roundings and in himself is greater than his own person power of decision. Self-control is not the key to a transformed life (although, of course, it is not valueless). Something more is involved. The talk presents the theological background to this psychological fact. It provides a way of grasping and becoming conscious of the fact and also a way of dealing with it. God gives the power and direction to overcome the problem of sin and to transform men and their surroundings. This is what the speaker is saying: man is victim of something greater than him elf and he needs God to free him. But God offering the power that is needed. The Christian can expect to see and experience God's transforming action. The main reading for the background to this talk, besides this Bible, is the Council documents, especially the Constitu-tions on the Church and the Church in the Modern World, and the Decrees on the Lay Apostolate and the Missionary Activity of the Church. The recent social encylicals of popes are also relevant. Other helpful reading would be the chapter "The Mystery and the World" in Liturgical Piety (Life and Liturgy) by Louis Bouyer, and The Gospel to Every Creature (chapters I, II, III) by Cardi-nal Suenens. I. THE WORLD AND SIN The first sections states the problem. It describes sin so that it is possible to see that a change has to be made in the world. This section should be treated as experientially as possible. Sin is something that every one experiences. The Bible is talking about a fact. Redemption will make a lot sense when people see that it is God's attempt to deal with a real problem. There is, of course, one fact that is not experienced: that the cause of all difficulties is separation from god. A person who is mature in the spiritual life will realize from the experience the cause of all the difficulties is separation from God because He knows what a difference union with God makes. But beginners cannot be expected to realize it. They have to have it revealed to them. It must be told to them. The speaker must just state and developed this point with as much force as possi-ble, making it clear that he is not just presenting his own view, but God's view as well. The speaker must take care not to let this first part of the talk take up most of the time. I. A. The confusion in the use of the word "world". The word "world" is one of the most misunderstood words in Chris-tianity. We are told to hate to flee the world, and we are told to love it and be open to it. And both pieces of advice are scriptural and true. Moreover, both pieces of advice resonate in us as fitting, depending on how we are looking at world and what we are seeing in it. The source of the confusion is in the different meanings of the word "world". Once these are under-stood, all the advice we are given can be put in a coherent picture. This section is just meant to introduce the problem of how to look at the world in a way that will connect with the students (everyone who has been brought up a Christian has had difficulties at some point or another in trying to sort out the way he should look at the world). No great development of the point is needed. It would be well to state that there is both New Testament backing and experiential backing for both uses of the word. There is another complication to the problem of the meaning of the word "world". Monastic spirituality has tradition that advise fleeing the world, not because it is sinful, but because it is not God and therefore is distraction to the Chris-tians. There is no room for evaluating or considering this theory in the talk. For the sake of simplicity and clarity, it is well not even to mention it. I. B. All creatures are basically good The first meaning of the word "world" is: all creatures. The world is the sum of created things. Looked at from this angle, the world is good because it is God's creation. The goodness of creation can be presented simply, with not too much elaboration. Most people are willing to accept the goodness of created things. The most important thing to make clear is that the Bible and Christina tradition recognize the goodness of the world (many will have the notion, because of their confusion, that Christianity just looks at the world as evil). A good verse to use would be I Cor. 10:26, "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it." In this verse, St. Paul quot-ing from Ps. 23, 4 to make the point that even idol offerings are good because they are God's creatures. Other example that could be easily used are the creation account in Gen. I and the life of St. Francis. It might be well in this section to show an understanding of all aspects of the students' experience. Many (if not all of them) have experienced the "goodness' of even what is sinful. Some have has sexual experiences and felt that they were good. Wild, immoral parties have something good about them. James Bond stories, although a moral, exhibit a certain strength and cunning that is appealing, etc. We experience all aspects of the world, even the so-called sinful ones, as good. "Save the world? The world doesn't need saving. It's good." I. C. Yet there is something bad about the world (it is in sin). The other main meaning of the word "world' is: unredeemed crea-tion, that is, creation as separated from God and organized in a way to exclude God. Looked at from this point of view, the world is bad, because it is sinful. The main presentation of the badness of the world and what it means should probably wait until I. C. 2. Here the main things to explain are that the Bible says often that the world is bad and how this goes together with the world as being good. Biblical passages that contain a negative evaluation of the "world": "Never give your hearts to this world or to any of the things of it. A man cannot love the Father and love the world at the same time. For the whole world system, based as it is on men's primitive desires, their greedy ambitions, and the glamour of all that they think splendid, is not derived from the Father at all, but from the world itself" (I Jn. 2:15-17). An analogy might be the best way of presenting how the goodness of the world and the badness of the world go together. The materials (the lumber) out of which the world is made is good, because God created it. The pattern they are presently in is bad. They are good things and they are being used badly, that are deformed. Gasoline is good, but when poured on a child and ignited, sin appears, even though all the materials (the gaso-line, the child, the lighting) are in themselves good. I.C.1 Inadequate concepts of sin: This section is meant to prepare for the idea of sin being objective. What is inadequate about this two conceptions is that sin is viewed solely in terms of the individual and his final salva-tion (and therefore his personal guilt or innocence). Each idea contains a certain aspect of the truth, but alone they are inade-quate. It is in the area covered by this points that the students need the most help in their understanding. They tend to think of sin mainly in terms of final salvation or final damnation, and they do not see the importance of sin for their lives now. If they were not worried about salvation or damnation (as some of them are not), they would not worry about sin. The idea should not be given that final salvation and damnation are not important but it should be clearly gotten across that something is at issue for life right now. I. C. 1. A. The Black Stain Theory This theory goes along with the Foaming Cleanser theory of grace. The soul is something soft, white, and highly absorbent. Sin is black spleckles, black splotches or a complete soaking of the soul in the black. Then the soul has to be washed (confession is sort of a washing machine). For a person with this view of sin, sin is only a matter of personal guilt, and all attention is centered on the interior subjective disposition. I. C. 1. B. The Rat-in-the Maze Theory This goes along with the Cheese at the End Theory of heaven. Another version is The Straight White Line Theory of sin. Ac-cording to the Rat-in-the-Maze Theory, God has marked out certain rules of the game. There are certain things that must be avoid-ed, a path (straight and narrow) that must be run. Human beings are put into the world to be tested. If they avoid all the wrong turns (or make-up for running into them, i.e. get out before it's tool late), and if they come out at the right end of the maze, they deserve to be saved. For a peson with this view of sin, God's commandments seem totally arbitray, and all life is of no value other than a test. I. C. 2. Sin is objective Sin is the disorientation of the structure of the reality, the failure of men and society to follow God's plan and therefore their failure to fulfill their own real purpose. Sin is defined as whatever God does not approve of, what ever is against His will. A man's personal guilt is sin, but there are other things that are sin that do not involve personal guilt (perhaps there is personal guilt ultimately, but proximately, there does not seem to be). This section presents a more comprehensive view of sin. A suggested transition and means of presentation (the next three paragraphs): Both these theories has some validity. We know, for instance, that something bad happens to us when we commit sin. And we know that we are being tested in life. Yet there is something more to sin than this. Something is sinful because it is not in conformity with God's will. Sin is more than a person-al problem. It is an objective fact. It is a deformity, a disease afflicting the world-order. Sin is the idolatry of Pagans and the indifference of modern Americans to God. It is hate and chaos. It is segregation: being unwilling to live together. It is war: preparing to kill one another and destroy one another's happiness. It is starva-tion: people dying of hunger although other people have more than enough. It is the slums of Chicago ringed with pleasant suburbs of people who don't even seem to realize how badly people live 10 miles away. Sin is divorce and children torn between parents hate for one another. Sin is people living lonely lives, because no one brothers with them. Sin is ignorance: that people do not know God, because no one has told them about Him. Sin is a world of hate and disorder, disorder that people don't even really want. Sin is the fact that this world is not living in God and according to God's plan for it. The world is lie because it is living in contradiction to what God made it. This does not mean that a lonely person is guilty, or that a soldier in Vietnam is committing a mortal sin. They are caught in something bigger than themselves. To say that loneliness is sin and that war with one another. It is to say that sin is objective something more than just a matter of personal guilt. A suggested Bible passage: "You live in an age that is twisted out of its true pattern." (Phil. 2:15) I. C. 2. a. Sin is separation from God This is the first half of the main thesis of the talk: i.e. that the problems are caused by man's separation from God and can only be fully transformed by the action of the Holy Spirit in the Church bringing men back to God. This section must be clearly and emphatically put. The theology behind this section is presented in Romans 1:18-32. St. Paul states the root-sin in the following way: "Althought they know God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him". (Rom. 1:21) Suggestions for ideas that can be used to bring out the importance of sin as separation from God: 1.) To say that separation from God is the source of everything else that is wrong is to reveal the importance of God for us. We need Him, and we need to be in a right relationship with Him. There is a hunger for God in every man. Pascal said, "There is God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man." Many people do not realize their hunger for God, but that is because they have never been fed. A new-born baby, when it is hungry, does not know what is wrong with it. It is not until it has had the experience of being fed that it knows that it is hungry for milk. "The Church truly knows that only God, whom she serves, meets the deepest longings of the human heart, which is never fully satis-fied by what this world has to offer" (CCMW 41). 2. Separation from God means a kind of rebellion. It is a setting up on our own (an existing on our own). It is an existance indepedent of Him on Whom we depend for every thing. It is a kind of lived lie, the refusal to acknowledge our creator, turning way from the truth. A person who is separated from God has "exchanged the truth for a lie" (Rom. 1:25). 3. Separation from God is idolatry. It means that we are worshipping and serving something other than God. We are making a creature first. It is worth asking the question, "What do you worship, what do you serve?" I. C. 2. b. Sin is disorder in society One of the main results of separation from God is social disor-der. When things are separated from God, the proper source of unity and order for the whole, they are in disorder. Things are not ordered for everyone's good. Instead of a society in which everyone and everything has its proper place, there is poverty, segregation, crime. Instead of a society in which everything cooperates, there is a society in which indifference is the rule. The slums of Chicago are ringed by wealthy suburbs, and a pover-ty-stricken Haiti is only a few hundred miles from Miami Beach. There is isolation of person from person (lonely people, helpless families). There is hate and destruction, envy and warfare. A suggested observation to make the point: We have in many ways the most tightly unified society yet, technologically speaking, but it is filled with isolation, hostility, indifference. And its course seems out of our control. I. C. 2. c. Sin is dis-integration in the individual The effects of separation from God are felt in the individuals life too. Separated from God, men become confused. They do not know what meaning there is in life, or they create one that is hollow to them. They are worried, irritable, frustrated, bored, bitter. They fall into disorder in their way of living. They drink until they lose their jobs. They gamble until they cannot feed their families. They want a wife and a mistress at the same time. They feel alienated from society (no friends), and from the universe (the cold, meaningless universe). They feel lost: they have no idea of where they are goings. Not all of the above things apply to every man, but different ones apply to different men. The point is that these things are the results of separation from God, these things are sin, some-thing God does not want. I. C. 3. We are helpless against sin This is a point that can be very powerful, especially for those who have tried to live a good, Christian life (as most of those who come to the weekend have at one time or another). They have felt that no matter how hard they tried, they were not able to become perfect, or sometimes even to stay out of mortal sin. Once they realize that this is to be expected, they are ready to seek the power of God for their lives and for the whole world. The traditional (and Biblical) trio, the world, the flesh and the devil can be good, Christian life (as most of those who come to the Weekend have at one time or another). They have felt that no matter how hard they tried, they were not able to become perfect, or sometimes even to stay out of mortal sin. Once they realize that this is to be expected, they are ready to seek the power of God for their lives and for the whole world. I. C. 3. We are helpless against sin This is a point that can be very powerful, especially for those who have tried to live a good; Christian life (as most of those come to the weekend have at one time or another). They have felt that no matter how hard they tried, they were not able to become perfect, or sometimes even to stay out of mortal sin. Once they realized that this is to be expected, they are ready to seek the power of God for their lives and for the whole world. The traditional (and Biblical) trio, the world, the flesh and the devil can be a good way of describing the greatness of objective sin. We experience our environment pulling us way from our ideal, leading us into sin or at least into lukewarmness, and the Bible describes this as the world. We experience in ourselves, deeper than our own consciousness, a disorderliness in our desires and many full that are controlling as even before we can be aware of them. The Bible describes this as the flesh. We feel at times that circumstances or our own inner difficulties are overpowering and irresistible. The Bible tells us that these are ways Satan operates. II. THE INTERVENTION OF GOD This section emphasizes that it is God who overcomes the problems of sin and transform the world. Without Him there is no redemp-tion. It should be the shortest part of the talk, and the main emphasis should be on explaining the Work of the Holy Spirit. II. A. God loved the world and wanted to save it A suggested transition: the world is to be saved precisely be-cause it is good. It is to be saved from sin, from Satan. This point does not need a lot of developing. The context for considering the work of redemption is God's mercy and love for the sinful world. He did not reject it, but sought to save it. A suggested Bible passage: "God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him should not be lost, but should have eternal life. You must understand that God has not sent His Son into the world to pass sentence upon it, but save it, - through Him." (John 3:16) The following passage sums up the whole talk up to the beginning of II. C. It could be used as a way of making points II. A. & B. and introducing II. C.: "For we ourselves have know what it is to be ignorant, disobedient and deceived, the slaves of various desires and pleasant feelings, while our lives were spent in malice and jealousy - we were hateful and we hated one another. But when the kindness of God our saviour and His love toward man appeard, He saved us in His mercy, not by virtue of any moral achievements of ours, but by the cleansing power of a new birth and the renewal of the Holy Spirit, which He gave us so generous-ly through Jesus Christ our Saviour" (Titus 3:3-6) II. B. He sent His son to overcome the separation (bridge the gap). This point is meant to be a tie-in with the talk "The Work of Christ". It should not need much development. The Holy Spirit came as a result of the work of the Son. II. C. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to change men (Pentecost: Acts 2) Jesus promised before He died that He would send the Holy Spirit to His disciples (John 16:7). The Holy Spirit would take His own place as paraclete and work in the disciples, forming them into the body of Christ. It is the present of the Holy Spirit among Christian that overcome the separation between God and men and that transforms the lives of men, individually and socially. The power of God is available. What man is helpless against, God can handle. The problem of sin in us and in our surroundings can be overcome. This section of the talk is meant to make clear that Christ has sent the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is God at work in full power to renew the face of the earth. Section C should be presented as meditation on Pentecost. Pente-cost was an event that changed the early Christians and formed a living Church. It is the event which is the source of the trans-forming power of the spirit now , because it began a new presence of the Spirit in the Church. Moreover in calling the Council, Pope John prayed for a renewal of Pentecost in the Church in our times. "Renew your wonders in this our day, as at a new Pente-cost" (prayer for the success of the Council). In considering the second chapter of Acts, the three points for this section can be made. Keys sections of Acts 2 to read are vv. 1-4, 17-18, 32-33 Passages for reference: cc 4,DMA 4. II. C. 1. The Holy Spirit is God in the World For most students, the Holy Spirit is the faceless member of the Trinity, the one of they do not know and do not even have a decent picture of. He means little to them. This section should begin to bring the Holy Spirit to life for them. Perhaps the best way to present the Holy Spirit is to present the images which are used in scripture to talk about Him. A suggested transition: Who is this Holy Spirit that was poured out at the Pentecost who made such an impact, not only on the disciples, but also on 3,000 non-Christians? Suggested ways of presenting the Holy Spirit: 1.) As the breath of God: "Spirit" means "breath". The Holy Spirit is God breathing in us. We are, so to speak, inha-ling and exhaling God's own breath when we have the Holy Spirit in us. It is His life in us. 2.) As a spring of life in us: "My gift will become a spring in the man himself, welling up into eternal life (Jn. 4:14). "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me; whoever believes in me, let him drink. As Scripture says, 'Streams of living water shall flow out from within Him.' He was speaking of the Spirit which believers in Him would receive". (Jn. 7:37-39). He is a new life within us, flowing out of us. 3.) As a fire: The Holy Spirit is a power to destroy and to purify. His presence is transforming, destroying what resists Him, purifying what yields to Him. 4.) As the paraclete: "I shall ask the Father to give you some-one else to stand by you (another paraclete), to be with you always. I mean the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot accept, for it can neither see nor recognize that Spirit but you recognize Him. For He is with you now and will be in your hearts"(Jn. 14:16-17). "I have said all this while I am still with you. But the one who is coming to stand by you, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will be your teacher and will bring to your minds all that I have said to you" (Jn. 14:25-26). A paraclete is someone who is stands by someone else in a trials (a courthouse situation). He is an advocate, a counselor, a helper, a guide. Our paraclete is in us. II. C. 2. He offers wisdom (guidance) and power by living in us. At Pentecost, the disciples received the Holy Spirit, were filled with the Holy Spirit. He took up His residence within them. In order words, the Holy Spirit within us is that union with God that fully overcomes the separations between God and man. The speaking in the tongues was a sign of this - the Holy Spirit so controlled them that they did not know. And because of His union with Christians, His power is released within them, and He is free to give them guidance. When He comes, He comes with gifts, gifts that give men new power to live holy lives, effective Christian lives. The result (fruit) is transformed lives. The disciples were changed men because of Pentecost. In presenting this section, the speaker should keep in mind that many of the student have never experienced the power of God operating in their lives before this Weekend. He should make clear that the condition of the receiving the power of God is union with God. The Holy Spirit does not give power to those who have not surrendered to Him to be used as His instruments. Suggested passages to use: "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal. 5:22). II. C. 3. He formed the disciples into the body of Christ to continue Christ's work. Pentecost has been called the birthday of the Church, because it is at Pentecost that the Holy Spirit took the disciples and united them in power in the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of Christ body. It is He who produces the unity which makes the whole Church into the one Christ. And it is He who enables the disciples to carry out Christ's work in the world. This section provides basis for the rest of the talk. Passages that can be used to illustrate II. C. 2 and II C. 3.: "Then those who welcome His message were baptized, and on that day alone about three thousand souls were added to the number of disciples. They continued steadily learning the teaching of the apostles and joined in their fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayer . Everyone felt a deep sense of awe while many miracles and signs took place through the apostles. All the believers shared everything in common; they sold their possession and goods and divided the proceeds among the fellowship according to the individual need. Day after day they met by common consent in the Temple. They broke bread together in their homes, sharing meals with simple joy. They praised God continually, and all the people respected them. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were finding salvation." (Acts 2:41-47). "When they had prayed, their meeting-place was shaken; they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God fearlessly" (Acts 4:13). "Among the large number who had become believers, there was complete agreement of heart and soul. Not one of them claimed any of his possessions as his own but everything was common property to all. The apostles continued to give their witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus great force and a wonderful spirit of generosity pervaded the whole fellowship", (Acts 4:32-33). "And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ" (Acts 5:42). III. THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH This part is the main part of the talk. The two previous parts have laid the groundwork for this part. At the end of the talk, it should be clear that the Church has an important mission in the world (to overcome sin by the power of God and to transform men). It should also be clear that each member of the Church has a part in this mission. The danger in giving this talk is to make the third part too involved. The mission of the Church cannot be adequately de-scribed in the 20 minutes (at most) that should be given to this section. All that can be done is to sketch in the broad lines, relating the Church to the problems of the world and the gift of the Holy Spirit. At the end, it should be clear that the Church has an essential mission and what the main types of things in-volved in it are. The speaker should not feel bad if the stu-dents do not realize afterwards all their duties as a citizen or the importance of their being concerned for the missions in Madagascar. These deficiencies can only be overcome in the reat of the talks and in the follow-up. This first talk is meant to present the framework for future understanding. It shows that the Church is unique and its mission is important. III. A. There is a need for us to have understanding of the Church. This is the section in which the speaker relates what has been said in part II to the Church. He can also draw upon what has been said in the talk "Christian Community." But the end of this section, the students should be able to see the Catholic Church with new eyes, because they see what its call and its real nature is. There is no need here to get involve with the theological question of the relationship of the Catholics Church and the other Christian Churches, unless some reason on the weekend has made it necessary. III. A. I. The Church is not just a Human Institution There are two main inadequate ideas of the Church which will be present. The main one will be the idea that the Church is an institution, a human institution that is restrictive and perhaps corrupt. This is the view which those who have had a tradition-al education will probably hold instinctively. It is also the picture which more "progressive" students will be reacting against. The speaker could perhaps draw a caricature of this view of the Church to make the point. Another inadequate idea of the Church that is becoming more and more is viewing the Church just as human community that fosters love and better interperson-al relationships. In a given weekend, there maybe no point in mentioning this inadequate idea, but there is almost certainly will be a reason for mentioning it if the weekend is being given for Catholic college students. III. A. 2. The Church is the new creation in the Holy Spirit, the body of Christ with His mission This section presents a more adequate view of the Church. It is a divine reality, the work of the Holy Spirit, and it is there-fore unique. Moreover, it is not just an institution, nor just a community, but it is both, a structured body which has a job to perform. There are two ways of looking at the Church - as a goal and as a instrument. It is, in real sense, the goal of Christ's work. HE came to create the Church, the union of men with God, the body of those living with His life. It is the Church that is to be saved when the world is transformed at the Second Coming. It is also an instrument. It is the means Christ works with and through to bring the world to himself and to transform it. Both aspects of my mystery should clearly presented. The Church in itself is the new creation, the initial budding forth of the kingdom (CC 5), and it is also the instrument of the new creation, the herald of the kingdom. Perhaps the best way of presenting this section through the various images of the Church presented in scripture. In connec-tion with the body of Christ, it would be well to point out that since it is a body, it has visible structure with various parts all functioning together (i.e. it is both a community and a hierarchical institution). Ideas that can be used with supporting Bible passage: a) The new creation: "If anyone is in Christ, he has become a new creation. The old has passed away, the new has come" (II Cor. 5:17). b) The body of Christ: "God has placed everything under the power of Christ and has set Him up as head of everything for the Church. For the Church is His body, and it body lives fully the one who fills the whole wide universe (Eph. 1:22-23). "As the human body, which has many part, is a unity, and those parts, despite their multiplicity, constitute one single body, and we have all had experience of the same "Spirit" (I Cor. 12:12-13). "Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the Church first apostles..." (I Cor. 12:27-28). c) God's people (with a mission): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were no people, now you God's people" (I. Pet. 2:9-10). "You live in age that is twisted out of its true pattern, and among such people you shine out, beacons to the world, upholding the message of life" (Phil. 2:15). d) The temple of the Holy Spirit: "You are no longer exiles, then or aliens: the saints are your fellow citizens, you belong to God's house hold. Apostles and prophets are the foundation on which you were built, and the chief corner- stone of it is Jesus Christ Himself. In Him the whole fabric is bound together as it grows into a temple dedicated to the Lord. In Him you are being built up with the rest so that God may find in you a dwelling place for Him Spirit" (Eph. 2:19-22). III. B. We are the Church The purpose of this section is to make the application of the talk as personal as possible. Because of baptism and because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in us, we are the Church. The Church is not just the Pope or the bishops, or the priests and nuns. But we are too. Two points come from this. The first is a qualification; namely, that we can only claim to be the Church if the Holy Spirit is living in us, if we have yielded to Him. Other wise, we are the deed members of the Church, we have the mission of the Church. We have a responsibility for fulfilling the task which Christ has given to the Church. This section can be brief. It does not need much development. It should be made clear that not everybody has to do everything that is involved in the mission of the Church. One of the impli-cations of the doctrine of the body of Christ is that different people have been different roles and different tasks. This point will be developed more fully in "Following Christ", but it should be mentioned clearly here. This section might also be a good place to point out that since we are the Church, the Church will never be perfect. We bear a real responsibility for its imperfections. It can never be perfect as long as human beings are imperfect. Therefore, we should have a real compassion for the weaknesses in the Church, because they are the failings of other human beings, and we contribute our part. "The Church, embracing sinners in he bosom, is at the same time holy and always in need of being purified, and incessantly pursues the path of penance and renewal" (CC 8). III. C. The work of the Church The work of the Church and the work of the Holy Spirit are the same, because the Holy Spirit works in and through the Church. The mission of the Holy Spirit is to transform the world, and that is the mission of the Church. They complete the work of Christ through history. III. C. 1. The incorporation of all men into Christ This is the first and the most important aspect of the mission of the Church. The Church is sent above all to bring men to Christ and to a fullness of new life in the Holy Spirit. By this point in the weekend, it should make sense to those present to say that this is the primary mission of the Church. The talks on Saturday and the first two parts of this talk should have conveyed the overwhelming need of men to redeemed as the foundation of every-thing else. If nothing is more important than Christ, nothing is more important than to bring men to a union with Christ and therefore to full membership in the Church. This section does not have to be developed at great length. It should mainly make clear the place of evangelism in the Church and its relationship to social action. In an attempt to make up for much neglect, there is a tendency to overemphasize the impor-tance of social action in the mission of the Church. But the Council teaches that evangelism has the primacy. This should make clear the need to proclaim Christ to the world, by words as well as by deeds. Suggested passages for this section: "If anyone is in Christ, he a new creation: the old has passed away, behold the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambas-sadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us" (II Cor. 5:17-20). "But Jesus came and spoke this words to them, 'All power in heaven and earth has been given to me. You, then, are to go and make disciples of all nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you, and remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the world" (Mt. 28:18-20). "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Now how can they call on one in whom they have never believed? How can they believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how can they hear unless someone proclaims Him? And who will go to Him unless he is sent?...Belief, you see, can only come from hearing the message, and the message is the word of Christ. (Rom. 10:13-17). Acts 8:1-4 the apostles stayed behind and the laity were scat-tered. It was the laity who did the evangelism. "The mission of the Church concerns the salvation of men, which is to be achieved by belief in Christ and by His grace. Hence the apostolate of the Church and of all her members is primarily designed to manifest Christ's message by words and deeds and to communicate His grace to the world" (DLA 6). "The obligation of spreading the faith is imposed on every disci-ple of Christ according to his ability" (CC 17). (Background sources: CC 17,33,35; DMA 5,7,8; DLA 2,5,6.) Note: In the Council documents, the relationship between the work of evangelism and the work of "perfecting the temporal order" (social action) is precisely stated. Evangelism is part of the essence of the mission of the Church, because the Church is sent to redeem men and to bring them to the Father. Social action is "involved in" the mission of the Church, because Chris-tian are men, and as men they have a certain responsibilities. Moreover, the messages of Christ has many implications for all areas of human life. It is sometimes said that because a layman is defined by his secular nature, that means that the layman's role in the mission of the Church is primarily secular. This is not the teaching of the Council. A layman's role as Christian is more fundamental than his role as a layman, and therefore his participation in the essential mission of the body of Christ holds the primacy to his involvement in secular life. This does not mean, of course, that his involvement in secular life is to be downplayed. Rather it means that his role as an evangelist (a proclaimer of Christ by words and deeds) is to be emphasized. This position is presented in CCMW42. (Christ, to be sure, gave His Church no proper mission in the political, economic, or social order. The purpose which He set before her is a religious one. But out of this religious mission itself comes a function, a light, and an energy which can serve to structure and consoli-date the human community according to the divine law"); in CC36 ("The faithful should learn how distinguish carefully between those rights and duties which are theirs as members of the Church and those which they have as members of human society"); and especially in DLA 5 ("Christ's redemptive work, while of itself is directive toward the salvation of men, involves also of the renewal of the whole temporal order"). III. C. 2. The transformation of the world This is the second aspect of the mission of the Church. Both works of charity and social action are covered by the phrase "the transformation of the world." The work of the Church involves bringing men to Christ, but it also involves changing their lives in Christ. They should be living transformed lives in all re-spects. Each human need they come across, each human relation-ship they are in, should be treated as Christ would treat them. Evangelism should not be emphasized to the detriment of social action and of charity. This section will be longer than the previous section, because this is the main place in the Weekend in which the importance of social action is covered theoretically. It may be true that there is an overemphasis on social action in the modern American Church, but that does not mean that most American Catholics are adequate on this score. In fact, there is a long way to go. They must clearly see that it is an integral part of their lives as Christians, and if the weekend cannot handle all areas it can at least point out that they have to be taken into account. III. C. 2. a. God's plan is for all of His creation in every respect. Religion is total: Nothing is left out of Christianity. This is said to provide a basis for the next two points. III. C. 2. b. Christ's love involved not only preaching, but also... This section develops the work of charity in Christ's life. He was concerned for more than men's souls in the narrow sense. Mention should be made of Christ's miracles like the feeding of the 5,000, healing, etc. III. C. 2. c. We must be faithful to the implications of Christ's mission in the modern world. In the modern world, charity must take into account new social situations. Because of the technological revolution, each man (especially each college graduate) has a chance to influence the development of new forms of social life and has a chance to contribute to the solution of pressing social problems. This section of the talk should make clear that social concern is an integral part of this life as a Christian. The Church teaches it clearly. The areas mentioned in the outline parallel the sections of the second part of the CCMW. Quotations that can be used: "The mission of the Church is not only to bring to men the mes-sage and grace of Christ, but also to penetrate and perfect the temporal sphere with the spirit of the gospel" (DLA 5). "It is the task of the whole Church to labor vigorously so that men may become capable of constructing the temporal order rightly and directing it to God through Christ" (DLA 7). "This Council exhorts Christians, as citizens of two cities, to strive to discharge their earthly duties conscientiously and in response to the gospel spirit (CCMW 43). III. D. The end - the complete establishment of the kingdom of God. The work of the Holy Spirit and the work of the Church are directed toward the coming of Christ again and the full establishment of Kingdom. |
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