DOERS OF THE FAITH

Without passing judgment, some Catholics are no longer practicing their faith, while others have become a scandal to the community. Others are products of a broken home like a decayed fruit hanging off a decayed tree. The Greeks, the Romans, and the Jews used the idea that a tree is to be judged by its fruit. Epictetus once said: “How can a vine grow not like a vine but like an olive, or how can an olive grow not like an olive but like a vine” (Discourses 2:20).

Our Blessed Lord said: “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree is known by its own fruit” (Luke 6:43-44). A person is inevitably known by his actions. A Christian without good acts is a Christian who pays lip-service (Mt. 15:8); in other words, a useless Christian.

Pope John Paul II once publicly begged forgiveness for the crimes and sins committed by those who profess to be Catholics.

I would like to ask the question: How did the early Christians learn the basic principles and tenets of Christianity? There were few manuscripts then and printing press was not yet invented. There were neither radios nor televisions, neither big Cathedrals nor podiums, neither MP4 Players nor computers. How then did the early Christians learn genuine Christian manners, Christian words, thoughts, and behavior?

Well, they heard how the disciples of Jesus spoke and they saw how the Apostles acted. The Apostles were telling the first Christians “follow the things that we do, speak the way we have spoken to you” (1 Thes.1:6, 1 Cor. 4:16).

“Imitate us as we imitate Christ” (1 Cor.11:1). “Learn from everything we do and say.”

The first Christians were doers of the Faith. They taught by their very lives and acts, and thousands were converted (Acts 2: 42-47). Pagans were edified watching their individual and collective acts. The first Christians were known by their example, their witnessing, their fellowship—which were so powerful to behold (Acts 11: 19-26).

St. John the Baptist exhorted the crowd on the demands of the Faith. He stressed that living the Faith must be concrete and not made up of empty words. In answer to the question “What ought we to do?” his reply was pointed and action-oriented: “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none And whoever has food should do likewise.”

To the tax collectors he said “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.” Likewise, to the soldiers he said “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages” (Lk. 3:10-14).

Our Christian Faith demands a corresponding Christian response from everyone (James 11:9- 25). We have to be doers of our Faith. The Word of God can be made active and alive if we want to, and be made operational in our lives.

Christian disciples are enjoined to conduct ourselves in accordance to the Life, Word, and example of our dear Lord when He was “made Flesh.”

The only authority that speaks with such impact and power, the only authority that is respected by all is the authority of witnessing through action and good example. The only way to experience being Church in the new millennium is to profess the Faith by our practices. The time is now. Christian disciples, let us show the world that we are followers of Christ.

WHAT IS THE MISSION OF A CHRISTIAN?

In the Old Testament, God spoke to Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you” (Jer. 1:5).

In the New Testament, St. John the Baptist told the world about his mission: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord” (John 1:23). And preaching for repentance and conversion from evil ways he did!

The Greek word for “to consecrate” is hagiazen, which is from the adjective hagios, meaning “holy and separated.” Hagiazen means to be set apart for a mission.

Every Christian disciple is a consecrated person and the consecrated person means someone who is singled out for a mission. Jesus prayed to the Father: “Consecrate them in the truth. As you sent me into the world, so I send them into the world” (John 17:17-18).

By virtue of Baptism, we have become priests, prophets, and shepherds to others. By virtue of Confirmation, we are called to become Christ’s witnesses to the world. Accordingly, it is pathetic for a Christian disciple to remain idle and unproductive in this crazy world.

Woe to us if we fail to implement the change we want to see, if we fail to do what needs to be done and fail to make the world a better place. “You want evil to spread, let the good men and women among you do nothing,” writes the British statesman Edmund Burke.

           

But why necessarily set out on a mission? Pessimists say there is no hope because the world is intrinsically evil. Efforts are futile because men are so corrupted and given to the flesh they cannot be changed. It is said that St John Maria Vianney, the Cure d’ Ars, coming back to the rectory after having finished his heavy pastoral duties (sixteen hours of hearing confessions among others) was met by a close friend, a good Catholic, was told: “Your unselfish work is useless. The world cannot be changed.”

The saint replied: “With that coming from you, it is necessary to intensify my pastoral work even more.”           

A Christian is summoned by Jesus to be the salt of the earth and light of the world (Mt. 5:14). Indeed, we must glow in the dark valley of the world and in the shadow of death of worldliness just as the lighthouse serves as guide for the ship lost in a stormy night.

Our mission is not a call to accomplish the “mission impossible” or the “impossible dream.” An Arab proverb says that “if you cannot be a Star in the sky, then at least be a candle in the house. If you don’t’ have a large net to convert a multitude of pagans, use a hook. If you don’t have a harvest tractor, use a sickle”.

The intention for this sense of mission, which is very much connected to volunteerism, is a pure willingness to do everything for God’s glory and human development—and nothing more.

A Christian may satisfy some conditions to enable him to accomplish his mission. First, it is imperative to remain prayerful. No mission can be done without first communicating with God in fervent prayer. A profound interior relationship with God is a prerequisite to do exterior services for others. The man for others must first be a man of God. No disciple must dare then to accomplish a mission if it does not stem from the inspiration of God Who is within.

The second special ingredient is the practice of humility. Sharing in the Christian mission entails a lot of hard work, which most cases, is deprived of corresponding immediate consolation in sight. To accomplish a mission then is to reject the temptation of working and searching for an outright, visible sign of success. We prepare the soil, plant the seed, and water the seedling. But it is God who causes the growth (1 Cor. 3:7). Then, others (our co workers in God’s field) may do the harvesting. A humble disposition is a sign of genuine discipleship in the vineyard of the Lord.

The third necessary condition refers to obedience to the bishop of the diocese, to the Parish Priest. What would happen to the vision-mission of the Church if all apostolic persons and volunteers are hard-headed and noncompliant, preferring to do things their own way? Where will the mission go if each volunteer does what he likes and likes what he does?

Let us learn from St. Peter and see what holy obedience can do. The whole night the disciples at Lake Genesareth labored in vain and caught no fish but, at the word of Jesus, St. Peter obeyed and once again lowered his net. And it was filled with “a great number of fishes” (Lk 5:5-6). For the Christian who values the virtue of obedience, the miraculous catch does continue to happen everyday.