From the Pastor - The Ascension of the Lord
We often cite Jesus’ quote from today’s Gospel of Mark: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” This was not a suggestion from the Lord. It was quite frankly a command, and it is one which still holds for each of us. Being an evangelist, being a disciple, being a steward is not a matter of choice for those of us who are Catholic and Christian. It is something the Lord expects of us.
Often, we may like to spend time debating how to do that, but that does not lessen the fact that it is something we are supposed to do. We need to acknowledge that even the original Apostles and followers of Jesus did not do that immediately. We learn that they stayed in Jerusalem for some time, and it seemed to be only when the Church and its followers were persecuted that they began to reach out and truly share the “Good News.”
Once Christians accepted that charge from the Lord, they did indeed take the Word of God to all corners of the earth. Look at the Church today. It is incredible how this Church has grown from one Man/God and a small group into what it is today. That does not, however, get us “off the hook.”
As much as we may argue about how to carry out this command from Jesus, the fact remains that our very lives need to stand as a representation of what it means to be a Christian, what it means to “love one another,” what it means to live and to work as a disciple of Christ. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2018
Pastoral Pondering
With the arrival of the Ascension, we have come to the end of our observance of Jesus’ earthly ministry and beginning the era of the Church. Jesus’ ministry continues through the Church He founded and the apostles and their successors entrusted with preserving and passing on the faith.
I had an interesting conversation recently with a priest friend who was noting a level of confusion in Catholic circles about what it means to be Catholic; or, more specifically, a practicing Catholic. Some of this confusion is fomented by the secular culture but much of it must be laid at the feet of those who have the responsibility of preaching and teaching in the name of the Church. A recent article posted on the website uscatholic.org highlighted some of this reality; albeit, in a biased way. The author, Peter Feuerherd, is well known for seeking out stories that highlight the divide in the Church or look to sensationalize various conflicts. Nonetheless, he does identify a reality that is being experienced in many parts of the Church these days.
No one can deny that a spirit of division has become dominant in the culture in which we live, and, sadly, the Church is not totally immune from this division. The divide in the Church tends to follow divisions in liturgy, morality and ecclesiology. Some of the author’s sources are dubious in terms of their veracity, but they all share a very common attribute – they tend to involve those who came of age in the 50s, 60s and 70s. These were turbulent times in the world in general, but the Church was swept up in that turbulence, especially during the years of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council (1962-1965) and the years of implementation that followed.
These years saw many Catholic colleges and universities abandon a commitment to faith, many religious communities being decimated and many seminaries closing due to a dearth of seminarians. There was also a general hope, spurred by the “spirit of the world” at the time that the Church would abandon traditional moral teaching. This, at least, came to a head when Pope St. Paul VI issued Humanae Vitae which upheld the Church’s traditional view of married life and the procreation of children.
When Pope St. John Paul II came to the chair of St. Peter, he inherited a Church, that in many respects, was in shambles. The culture continued to devolve and the Church, because of her own failings and the failings of her leaders, was ill-equipped to confront the culture and curb the tide. Nonetheless, the Pope from Poland did his best to evangelize the world and engage the faithful with an evangelical spirit. He influenced a whole generation of seminarians who became priests who desired to reclaim our Catholic heritage and uphold Catholic teaching.
The reality of division, tension and conflict has continued in greater or lesser degrees since then, and we often see it played out in parish life around the country and even around the world. I believe a substantial reason for this is rooted in the question that my priest-friend asked when I began this pondering, what is a practicing Catholic. Over the next few weeks, I will try to answer that question as I understand it and hopefully bring some clarity that will benefit all of us.