"41 Again, it is the Spirit who sows the "seeds of the Word" present in various customs and cultures, preparing them for full maturity in Christ.42, 29. In fidelity to the spirit of the Beatitudes, the Church is called to be on the side of those who are poor and oppressed in any way. The Council emphasized the Church's "missionary nature," basing it in a dynamic way on the Trinitarian mission itself. 25. As in John 18:36, Jesus answered, My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from this world. Jesus emphasis of his kingship fulfilled the prophesies of the Old Testament, and revealed a different kind of kingship that the world had never seen before. In recent times many institutes have responded to this request, which I hope will be given even greater consideration and implementation for a more authentic service. 1. We cannot understand or carry out the mission unless we refer it to Christ as the one who was sent to evangelize. 2 Cor 5:14), we lay down our lives to invite people to trust, or depend on, Gods Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Mission of the Church in the Gospel According to John Jesus used rich and vivid imageries to describe who he was: bread, light of the world, living water, and shepherd. So-called younger churches have need of the strength of the older churches and the older ones need the witness and the impulse of the younger, so that each church can draw on the riches of the other churches." cit., 73.57. They have fled from conditions of political oppression and inhuman misery, from famine and drought of catastrophic proportions. "109 It is not the Church's mission to work directly on the economic. "Guide de la vie pastorale pour les pretres diocesains des Eglises qui dependent de la Congregation pour l'Evanglisation des Peuples," Rome, 1989.136. Copyright Dicastero per la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana. A Manifesto of Hope. The immanence and lived experiences of the divine are fostered by how the immanence of the divine is expounded in terms of the familia Dei: God as Father, the Logos as Son of God, believers as Children of God and the Spirit-Paraclete as the one who constitutes the family and educates the children in the family. 9. First, there is the universal dimension of the task entrusted to the apostles, who are sent to "all nations" (Mt 28:19); "into all the world andto the whole creation" (Mk 16:15); to "all nations" (Lk 24:47); "to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). The missionary thrust fosters exchanges between the churches and directs them toward the larger world, with positive influences in every direction. The Lord entrusts to them not only the pastoral care of the Christian community, but also and above all the evangelization of those of their fellow-citizens who do not belong to Christ's flock. It is precisely the mission ad gentes that offers them vast scope for "the gift of self with love in a total and undivided manner. Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus (June 28, 1988), 85: AAS 80 (1988), 881; cf. Mt 11:27). As Pope Paul VI said in Kampala: "It will require an incubation of the Christian 'mystery' in the genius of your people in order that its native voice, more clearly and frankly, may then be raised harmoniously in the chorus of other voices in the universal Church. Both these truths help us to understand the one mystery of salvation, so that we can come to know God's mercy and our own responsibility. Visiting the missions is commendable, especially on the part of young people who go there to serve and to gain an intense experience of the Christian life. Loving the Church and Humanity As Jesus Did. cit., 510-514.147. After Peter's first proclamation on the day of Pentecost and the conversions that followed, the first community takes shape (cf. Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 31.163. This spirituality is expressed first of all by a life of complete docility to the Spirit. 61. 1 Cor 15:24, 28). For example, John 20:22 points up the role of the Holy Spirit in the apostolic mission.[12]. We must ask for the kingdom, welcome it and make it grow within us; but we must also work together so that it will be welcomed and will grow among all people, until the time when Christ "delivers the kingdom to God the Father" and "God will be everything to everyone" (cf. She cannot do other than proclaim the Gospel, that is, the fullness of the truth which God has enabled us to know about himself. Proclamation, because it is made in union with the entire ecclesial community, is never a merely personal act. In his Encyclical Fidei Donum, Pope Pius XII, with prophetic insight, encouraged bishops to offer some of their priests for temporary service in the churches of Africa, and gave his approval to projects already existing for that purpose. Thus the Spirit, who "blows where he wills" (cf. It is clear that from the very origins of Christianity, the laity - as individuals, families, and entire communities - shared in spreading the faith. God Is Preparing a New Springtime for the Gospel. This happened not only through his words and his deeds: "Above all,the kingdom is made manifest in the very person of Christ, Son of God and Son of Man, who came 'to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many' (Mk 10:45). This statement, which was made to the Sanhedrin, has a universal value, since for all people-Jews and Gentiles alike - salvation can only come from Jesus Christ. (Jn 1:1, 1:18, 20:28). 5. Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio, 3.83. [9] Craig R. Koester, Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel: Meaning, Mystery, Community, 2nd edition (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2003). I also have other reasons and aims: to respond to the many requests for a document of this kind; to clear up doubts and ambiguities regarding missionary activity ad gentes, and to confirm in their commitment those exemplary brothers and sisters dedicated to missionary activity and all those who assist them; to foster missionary vocations; to encourage theologians to explore and expound systematically the various aspects of missionary activity; to give a fresh impulse to missionary activity by fostering the commitment of the particular churches - especially those of recent origin - to send forth and receive missionaries; and to assure non-Christians and particularly the authorities of countries to which missionary activity is being directed that all of this has but one purpose: to serve man by revealing to him the love of God made manifest in Jesus Christ. [10], The mission of Jesus followers was also closely woven together with the mission of Jesus. cit., 53-56.96. In this proclamation the Spirit is at work and establishes a communion between the missionary and his hearers, a communion which is possible inasmuch as both enter into communion with God the Father through Christ.75. He knows that he is not proclaiming a human truth, but the "word of God," which has an intrinsic and mysterious power of its own (cf. Finally, like Christ he must love the Church: "Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her" (Eph 5:25). The task of proclaiming Jesus Christ to all peoples appears to be immense and out of all proportion to the Church's human resources. Such formation is entrusted to priests and their associates, to educators and teachers, and to theologians, particularly those who teach in seminaries and centers for the laity. cit., 59-63.145. 175 The Church's missionary spirituality is a journey toward holiness. This prayer can be divided into 3 parts: I. Verses 1-5: Jesus makes an offering of His approaching sacrifice to God the Father II. 42 And he brought him to Jesus. 50. Conversion is also joined to Baptism because of the intrinsic need to receive the fullness of new life in Christ. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, 60: loc. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, 41-42: loc. ". The disciples recognize that the kingdom is already present in the person of Jesus and is slowly being established within man and the world through a mysterious connection with him. Faith is strengthened when it is given to others! Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity Apostolicam Actuositatem, 6, 13.151. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 6.52. A radical conversion in thinking is required in order to become missionary, and this holds true both for individuals and entire communities. The Acts of the Apostles indicates that the mission which was directed first to Israel and then to the Gentiles develops on many levels. There is an increasing interdependence between peoples, and this constitutes a stimulus for Christian witness and evangelization. 134 For this reason, the formation of candidates to the priesthood must aim at giving them "the true Catholic spirit whereby they will learn to transcend the bounds of their own diocese, country or rite, and come to the aid of the whole Church, in readiness to preach the Gospel anywhere." Ibid., 22: loc. [8] Andreas J. Kstenberger, The Missions of Jesus and the Disciples according to the Fourth Gospel: With Implications for the Fourth Gospels Purpose and the Mission of the Contemporary Church (Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. To live in "fraternal communion" (koinonia) means to be "of one heart and soul" (Acts 4:32), establishing fellowship from every point of view: human, spiritual and material. Mt 10:5). Where before there were stable human and social situations, today everything is in flux. It follows that the poor are those to whom the mission is first addressed, and their evangelization is par excellence the sign and proof of the mission of Jesus."115. In Christ, God calls all peoples to himself and he wishes to share with them the fullness of his revelation and love. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 17; Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 3, 15.43. Send me!" Acts 17:22-31). But everyone in the Church, striving to imitate the Divine Master, can and must bear this kind of witness;70 in many cases it is the only possible way of being a missionary. The two proclamations are complementary; each throws light on the other. Christianity is open to universal brotherhood, for all men and women are sons and daughters of the same Father and brothers and sisters in Christ. Now, as then, there is a need to unite the proclamation of the kingdom of God (the content of Jesus' own "kerygma") and the proclamation of the Christ-event (the "kerygma" of the apostles). "170 Another purpose of the Missionary Societies is the fostering of lifelong vocations ad gentes, in both the older and younger churches. Today there are many millions of refugees in the world and their number is constantly increasing. She respects individuals and cultures, and she honors the sanctuary of conscience. Among migrants, refugees occupy a very special place and deserve the greatest attention. Hence they must learn the language of the place in which they work, become familiar with the most important expressions of the local culture, and discover its values through direct experience. Acts 13:2-3). Mt 7:21). In others, not only is evangelization forbidden but conversion as well, and even Christian worship. Cf. What is overlooked is that every person has the right to hear the "Good News" of the God who reveals and gives himself in Christ, so that each one can live out in its fullness his or her proper calling. The Holy Spirit Makes the Whole Church Missionary. In this regard the Council states: "The charge of announcing the Gospel throughout the world belongs to the body of shepherds, to all of whom in common Christ gave the command. Jesus sums up the whole Law, focusing it on the commandment of love (cf. To "Mary's mediation, wholly oriented toward Christ and tending to the revelation of his salvific power,"178 I entrust the Church and, in particular, those who commit themselves to carrying out the missionary mandate in today's world. When evidence like this is combined with the corrobora-1 Love: The Mission of the Church in the Gospel According to . Developing ecclesial communities, inspired by the Gospel, will gradually be able to express their Christian experience in original ways and forms that are consonant with their own cultural traditions, provided that those traditions are in harmony with the objective requirements of the faith itself. 17. "121 It also stated that the bishops "have been consecrated not only for a particular diocese but for the salvation of the entire world. Conversion and Baptism give entry into a Church already in existence or require the establishment of new communities which confess Jesus as Savior and Lord. The first Christians also proclaim "the kingdom of Christ and of God" (Eph 5:5; cf. I earnestly recommend that their promotional work be increasingly directed to this goal. Our mission is to present Christ in prophetic power, Jesus speaking in us; to bring people to experience our Lord Jesus for themselves; and to be a community of such divine love that outsiders can see and are drawn to Gods heart for the world.[27] Johannine theology of mission calls followers of Christ to join in the missio Dei. Johannine Theology of Mission: Major Themes and Approaches "108 The Conference of Latin American Bishops at Puebla stated that "the best service we can offer to our brother is evangelization, which helps him to live and act as a son of God, sets him free from injustices and assists his overall development. 135 All priests must have the mind and the heart of missionaries - open to the needs of the Church and the world, with concern for those farthest away, and especially for the non-Christian groups in their own area. As the Last Supper draws to a close Jesus prays to God the Father on behalf of Himself and His disciples. The call to mission derives, of its nature, from the call to holiness. This makes Jesus's prayer in John 17 significant. The Church and her missionaries must also bear the witness of humility, above all with regard to themselves-a humility which allows them to make a personal and communal examination of conscience in order to correct in their behavior whatever is contrary to the Gospel and disfigures the face of Christ. Rev 11:15; 12:10), or "the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pt 1:11). I therefore exhort the disciples of Christ and all Christian communities - from families to dioceses, from parishes to religious institutes - to carry out a sincere review of their lives regarding their solidarity with the poor. I have traveled all over the world in order "to proclaim the Gospel, to 'strengthen the brothers' in the faith, to console the Church, to meet people. They pray for the missions and missionary vocations. Thus, "the Synod of Bishops should, among the concerns of general importance, pay special attention to missionary activity, the greatest and holiest duty of the Church. It must be an expression of the community's life, one which must mature within the community itself, and not be exclusively the result of erudite research. Rom 8:3-13). (Mk 15:39) In Matthew, the missionary emphasis is placed on the foundation of the Church and on her teaching (cf. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, 34: loc. Salvation in Christ, as witnessed to and proclaimed by the Church, is God's self-communication: "It is love which not only creates the good, but also grants participation in the very life of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. "123 The same responsibility is reflected to varying degrees in Episcopal Conferences and their organisms at a continental level, which must make their own contribution to the missionary task.124, Each bishop too, as the pastor of a particular church, has a wide-ranging missionary duty. "22 The kingdom of God is not a concept, a doctrine, or a program subject to free interpretation, but it is before all else a person with the face and name of Jesus of Nazareth, the image of the invisible God.23 If the kingdom is separated from Jesus, it is no longer the kingdom of God which he revealed. cit., 28.29. Jesus' love is very deep: he who "knew what was in man" (Jn 2:25) loved everyone by offering them redemption and suffered when it was rejected. During his earthly life, Jesus was the Prophet of the kingdom; after his passion, resurrection and ascension into heaven he shares in God's power and in his dominion over the world (cf. Building the kingdom means working for liberation from evil in all its forms. Address to the members of the Symposium of the Council of the European Episcopal Conferences, October 11, 1985: AAS 78 (1986), 178-189.62. The Church does this together with Mary and following the example of Mary, the Church's Mother and model: Mary is the model of that maternal love which should inspire all who cooperate in the Church's apostolic mission for the rebirth of humanity. Cooperation between the churches, in an authentic reciprocity that prepares them both to give and to receive, is a source of enrichment for all of them and touches the various spheres of ecclesial life. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 20.118. Christ's one, universal mediation, far from being an obstacle on the journey toward God, is the way established by God himself, a fact of which Christ is fully aware. Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 24.173.
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