Reflections on CFL: Paragraph 34
Integrity's Vault of Records shows that our sequential reflections on CFL left off with paragraph 32. As I said below, I don't intend to follow the same rigorous approach of before, but I figured it would be nice to continue our reflections on CFL with sections we haven't previously covered.
The Holy Father has long stressed (and I think most Christians readily agree with his read of the signs of the times) that:
"The present situation, not only of the world but also of many parts of the Church, absolutely demands that the words of Christ receive a more ready and generous obedience. Every disciple is personally called by name; no disciple can withhold making a response."
These words immediately precede Pope John Paul II's discussion call for a re-evangelization of the world. I think this is quite striking. It is abundantly clear that the Holy Father does not see this re-evangelization of the world as just something that the laity can participate in, but as utterly dependent upon the laity's involvement. With that, let's take a look at paragraph 34 of CFL.
The Pope begins with the awful truth about historically Christian nations, recounting how many are seeing the rapid growth of, at best, indifference to religion, but in many cases secularism and atheism:
"This particularly concerns countries and nations of the so-called First World in which economic well-being and consumerism, even if coexistent with a tragic situation of poverty and misery, inspires and sustains a life 'as if God did not exist.'"
Collen Carroll's book, The New Faithful, does offer a nice counterpoint, highlighting how a growing number of Gen X-ers are turning to Christianity with vigor, her thesis being that they have experienced material and worldly success so early in life and have found it empty. (A thesis I agree with, and not just because I'm in the book.) But that trend is a minor one compared to the one the Pope highlights.
The culture desperately needs Christ to be made present in all areas. The pope places much of this burden directly on the laity stating that their responsibility is:
"... to testify how the Christian faith constitutes the only fully valid response -- consciously perceived and stated by all in varying degrees -- to the problems and hopes that life poses to every person and society. This will be possible if the lay faithful will know how to overcome in themselves the separation of the Gospel from life, to again take up in their daily activities in family, work and society, an integrated approach to life that is fully brought about by the inspiration and strength of the Gospel."
Ah, but there's the rub, isn't it? We Christians aren't external to the cultures that we live in. So while that means we have the opportunity to change the culture, it also means that the culture shapes us. And not always in positive ways. How many of us find ourselves, despite claiming the banner of Catholic or Christian, living lives that are fairly indistinguishable from the secular culture?
Of course, the Holy Father recognizes this, too. Before the "fabric of society" can be "mended" by the Gospel, we must "first remake the Christian fabric of the ecclesial community itself present" in [the] countries and nations [needing to be re-evangelized]."
This is a call for Christian formation. Before you can run, you must walk. If we are honest, most of us will admit that, at best, we only get a modicum of formation during homilies (which is the extent of many people's exposure to Christian instruction). I think this is one of the reasons why the pope is so supportive of the lay ecclesial movements. For, I imagine, he sees these movements as filling a void present in the current experience of parishes and appreciates the express acknowledgment of the importance of adult formation made by so many of these movements. For example, Fr. Giussani comments when asked why education and mission are important themes to CL:
"Faith is a gift, but so is the personal response to the gift received. We need to know this faith and live it. John Paul II, during the great meeting in 1998, warned the movements of how secularization is putting faith to the test. The Pope spoke then of strong proclamation, solid and deep Christian formation, knowledge of one’s own Christian identity, of awareness of one’s own mission and of that of the Church, and of living Christian communities. Why do we need formation or education? Because adherence to Christ means accepting His person, His life, His works and His teachings. Today, the teaching of Christ is not known, or only superficially, by many of those who call themselves Christians. Whoever loves Jesus must deepen knowledge of Him, of His teachings and the road He invites us to follow. The faith requires that its contents be taught, and this teaching leads to the realization of the evangelizing mission to which all believers, whether priests or lay people, are called by means of their Baptism. We are all called to the mission of participating actively in building up the Body of Christ. Charity teaches us that this building must begin from ourselves, because the first terrain of apostolate is inside us, and from here we open up to the announcement and commitment of evangelization."
Therefore, the call for a re-evangelization of the world is first and foremost a call for us individually and as a Church to rededicate ourselves to our Head, that is Christ. Lent is a good time to answer that call.
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