Mission One: Proclamation
In the story of the Samaritan woman, we remind ourselves that she came to the well at 12 noon, obviously because she was avoiding people. She was a victim of human relationships. Her wounds had made her an addict. However, her encounter with Jesus healed her of the wounds, and “the woman put down her water jar and hurried back to the town to tell the people, ‘Come and see a man who has told me everything I have done; could this be the Christ?’ (Jn 4:28-29). Her encounter made her free of her addiction, and as a result she returned to people; returned to the people as a herald of “Good News.”
Experience of Jesus is positively contagious. The two disciples, John and Andrew, who went and stayed with Jesus for the rest of the day, would like to share this experience with others. “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother and say to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus” (Jn 1:41-42a). Thus the invitation of Jesus, “Come and see”, becomes a chorus.
The Gospel writers go a step even further to insist that the gospel goes in a “hurry.” They are fond of words like ‘haste’, ‘immediately’, ‘quickly’. When Mary had her first encounter with Jesus at the annunciation through the power of the Holy Spirit, she “set out at that time and went as quickly as she could into the hill country to a town inJudah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greetedElizabeth. Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Lk 1:39-41).
The two disciples on the road to Emmaus who were running away from Jerusalemon the day of the resurrection recognized the Lord at the breaking of the bread. “They set out that instant and returned toJerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions… they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread” (Lk 24:33-35).
What is the implication of our Parish Mission Week: as individuals and as a parish community? How can we express our experience in the days, weeks, and months to come? We might be able to answer these questions by looking more closely at the passage that we heard read.
On the road to Emmaus: Varieties of Ministry
1. Relational Ministry
Jesus begins his ministry with the two disciples by building a relationship. In fact, in the narration, this is the section that occupies largest content. Jesus carries out the stage of relational ministry through two precise choices – firstly, finding the disciples where they are, on the road, and secondly, by listening to their story. Though he was the hero of the story, Jesus humbles himself and pretends to be “the only stranger”. His listening attitudes enable them to narrate the story – their history – in their own words, thus beginning a healing process.
One way we can express our own experience of God in Jesus in listening/caring ministry. May be, some of us are called to this type of ministry. In general, we can make our parish community more friendly, familial and cordial.
2. Biblical Ministry
Having met the two disciples on their ground, and having listened to their narration of the events of the Holy Week, Jesus has built a relationship of trust. He knows now they are going to take him seriously. It is time now for tough love! It is time to challenge: “You foolish men!” Using the scriptures, he interprets the events of their lives in the light of faith. He offers them the Good News that even amidst the confusion of the previous week, God was still in control. Thus he restores their hope.
In this process of evangelisation the appropriate use of the Bible becomes vital. Today, there is a temptation for Bible study groups to be polemic and apologetic – attacking others and defending oneself. Often Bible study is done in order to be able to argue with the people of other Christian sects and to accuse each other on very trivial issues. This approach is neither progressive in faith formation of the young, nor is it interesting to the more mature among them. I strongly believe that the Scriptures were not written for us to argue upon. And I think, this use of Scriptures is only a way of killing the Christian faith.
On the contrary, on the road to Emmaus, Jesus uses the Scriptures to find meaning in the confusing maze of the lives of the disciples. Biblical reflection for young people needs to be existential. Sometimes an exegetic approach may be needed to recognize the existential meaning of the text. The existential approach basically restores hope. It draws us to the person of Jesus Christ – “Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?” May be some of us are called to this type of ministry: to form Bible study groups; to use the Bible meaningfully in our lives.
3. Catechetical Ministry
Having assured of their invitation to Him to stay with them, Jesus now takes them to a process of catechesis. Evangelisation is the sharing of Christian faith, catechesis is the deepening of that faith. Jesus uses a liturgical act to carry out this process. He carries out a set of meaningful rituals – “he took the bread, said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them”. The two disciples were not merely spectators of the drama of rituals but were participants in an experience. The end of catechesis, and of liturgy in particular, is religious experience.
The catechetical stage has twin tasks. Firstly, to offer deeper rational explanations for the tenets of the creed. Secondly, this is to be carried out in an experiential manner, particularly through meaningful liturgical celebrations, in such a way that catechesis would lead the young towards religious experience. The explanation for faith and the experience of the same are inseparable elements of true religion.
Mere adherence to the rubrics of the liturgy may not guarantee such a religious experience, though some rubrics may still be needed to preserve the mystery aspect of the liturgy. Both, the faith explained and the faith celebrated, have to be participatory. In fact, a well celebrated liturgy is the re-enactment of this journey to Emmaus: gathering of the congregation (Relational ministry), listening to the Word of God (biblical ministry), celebration of Eucharist (catechetical ministry), the communion (Christ experience) and commissioning – being sent out to share the experience with others. Thus liturgy leads us to religious experience. And for a Christian, the result of religious experience is the acceptance of Jesus as the Christ.
May be, some of us are called to contribute more tangibly in the parish catechetical and liturgical activities! But surely all of us are invited to make a better use of the catechetical & liturgical services offered by our parish community. This will help us deepen our experience of the Mission week.
4. Peer Ministry – Creating waves
Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’ They set out that instant and returned toJerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘The Lord has indeed risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread. (Lk 24:32-35)
Having experienced Jesus as the Risen Lord, Cleopas and his companion cannot withhold their conviction. They undertake the journey of eleven kilometers that very night to share their experience with others. They want to restore hope among their fellow disciples. The Word of God goes in a hurry. The cycle of Christ experience continues.
I began this series of reflections by asking: what is the core of Christianity? If the core of Christianity is experience of God in Jesus, then this is the sole reason why the church exists; why we come together. The danger that our parish communities face – even in the use of the sacraments, the liturgy, the catechetical process – is to become institutionalised and forget the core of Christianity. To safe-guard this ideal… our ‘churches’ have to become missionary. What do I mean? When Pope Paul VI visitedUgandain 1964, it was theMissionSunday, and on this occasion he canonised the 22 martyrs ofUganda. In his homily the Pope said: “The church inAfrica, from a mission oriented church, has to become a missionary church.” These words could be repeated even inBirminghamin 2011.
Is our Christian life oriented or centred around the physical parish church? Is our church too much centred around the priests and deacons? Is our Christian life too much focussed only on formal liturgy? We need to create an out-reach church. Churches (believing communities) can be created in the streets. All of us can be ministers – peer ministers! Christian life draws energy from the formal liturgy, but it’s fruits are recognised in the market place.
Are we ready to take up this challenge? I do not want to get into the nitty-gritty aspects of this. More practically, however, I would invite the committee that planned for this Parish Mission Week to continue to meet and plan how the church community of St Ambrose Barlow will become more and more missionary.
I sincerely thank Canon John Gunn for his invitation. I thank him for his trust; we began to plan for this way back in 2009. I thank Fr Neil and others who have worked tirelessly for the success of this Parish Mission Week. It has been my privilege being with you this week. Thank you.