From Jan 13

From Jan 13

In light of new parish leadership as well as the Apostolic Letters of John Paul II,* the Apostolic Letter of Benedict XVI,** the General Instruction of the Roman Missal 2002, and the Vatican’s Redemptionis Sacramentum, “On Certain Matters to be Observed or to be Avoided Regarding the Most Holy Eucharist,” it is time again to evaluate what we do as a worshiping assembly so as to deepen our understanding, grow in faith, to abide in the God’s love and redemption, for the transformation of the world in Christ Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.

To help us prepare for this meeting I would like all to remember that any discussion of the our way of enacting the that worship wherein God makes us holy and we give thanks and praise begins with the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy made official at Vatican Council II. It is still the yardstick by which we measure what, why, and how we do the Eucharist the Lord has left us. It is a rich document worth all our reading.****

Over the next couple of weeks we will explore some of the major insights of this incredible text, but before doing that we need to look at what the major themes of the Second Vatican Council were that underline it; for we cannot really understand what we as Church do unless we also understand who as Church we are.

Needless to say, there are people who have written many fine books on this matter. Let’s here just highlight some great themes as food for thought and prayer:

· A deeper understanding of the Church as catholic, that is, universal. At Vatican II it was not unusual to hear Bishops from the dioceses of Europe and the Americas speak. What was inspiring was that there were other names of other diocese that emerged: Doi, Rugambwa, Roguchi, Rakotomalala, Saigon, Tokyo, Tampico, and Noseng. Such universality led to a new understanding of culture. No longer could one exclaim with Hilaire Belloc: “The Faith is Europe and Europe is the Faith!”[i] The classicist notion of culture that regarded European culture as universal, permanent, and the model for all human societies gave way to an understanding that every human being belongs to a culture which is no better or no worse than European culture. In fact, the Gospel must be inculturated among people of “every race, language, and way of life.” (Eucharistic Prayer for Masses of Reconciliation II). In such a process both the Church and the culture are transformed for God’s greater glory and the salvation of souls.

· Collegiality meant that Bishops could be called upon to share with one another the wisdom garnered from their ministry in their local Churches all in union with the Bishop of Rome, exercising his Petrine office.

· Ecumenism recognized the vitality of the daughter Churches and a need to work in earnest that the Lord’s prayer “that they may all be one” [John 17:21]) would become a reality.

· Interfaith dialogue opened our eyes to the wonder of the human heart’s search for truth in the great religions of the world; our greater respect for our Jewish and Muslim sisters and brothers heirs to our common father, Abraham.

· Evangelization acknowledged that the only reason the Church exists is to proclaim the Gospel, the Good News of salvation to all the world. The Church is called to find effective ways of explaining and proclaiming the ageless message of truth to the modern world, adapting the Gospel to the grasp of all as well as to the needs of the learned.

· Justice and Peace are demanded by the fact that the joys and hopes, the fears and anxieties, the cares and concerns of humanity are those of the Church as well.

· A universal call to holiness invites all the baptized to be in closer union with the Father through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. The call to holiness acknowledges that though the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial or hierarchical priesthood differ essentially and not only in degree . . . [they] are nonetheless ordered to one another and there “exists equality between all with regard to the dignity and to the activity which is common to all the faithful in building up the Body of Christ” (Lumen Gentium, 32, 10). Such an understanding of the all the baptized has led to renewed understanding in the collaboration of ministry. All are called to the mission of the Church —the lay faithful: in, though not of, the world, and those ordained: to teach, dispense the mysteries and to be pastors so as to help the People of God to exercise faithfully

May these few insights cause us to ponder and prepare us for a fruitful discussion. More next week!

*Dies Domini, “On Keeping the Lord’s Day Holy,” Ecclesia de Eucharistia, “On the Eucharist in Its Relationship to the Church,” Mane Nobiscum Domine, Apostolic Letter of John Paul II “On the Year of the Eucharist”

**Sacramentum Caritatis, “On the Eucharist as the Source and Summit of the Church’s Life and Mission”

**** You may read it for yourself by going to http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html