cit., 275.5. The resurrection gives a universal scope to Christ's message, his actions and whole mission. All three members of the Trinity are active in the church's mission. Cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 13.74. Addressing the Father, Jesus says: "As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world" (Jn 17:18). Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 28: loc. cit., 857-859, 892-894.76. Only thus can you be a sign of God in the world and re-live in your own countries the missionary epic of the early Church. In a word, the kingdom of God is the manifestation and the realization of God's plan of salvation in all its fullness. ibid., 33.164. With the Greeks he discusses philosophy and quotes their own poets (cf. 75. Speaking of the future, we cannot forget the young, who in many countries comprise more than half the population. All through the Gospels, we see Jesus call to repentance and forgive the worst of sinners. 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). Certainly we have need of missionaries ourselves, nevertheless we must give from our own poverty. They bring to the Catholic world that spirit of universality and of service to the Church's mission, without which authentic cooperation does not exist. As already mentioned, the Acts of the Apostles uses the word parrhesia to describe this attitude, a word which means to speak frankly and with courage. This is the goal of missionary spirituality: "To the weak I became weak; I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Cf. This is God's will, and this is why he established the Church and made her a part of his plan of salvation. It is the Spirit who impels us to proclaim the great works of God: "For if I preach the Gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. Our times are both momentous and fascinating. Mt 11:4-5) and exorcisms (cf. cit., 31-33.35. Dt 4:37; 7:6-8; Is 43:1-7) and becomes his witness and interpreter among the nations. On the other hand, our own times offer the Church new opportunities in this field: we have witnessed the collapse of oppressive ideologies and political systems; the opening of frontiers and the formation of a more united world due to an increase in communications; the affirmation among peoples of the gospel values which Jesus made incarnate in his own life (peace, justice, brotherhood, concern for the needy); and a kind of soulless economic and technical development which only stimulates the search for the truth about God, about man and about the meaning of life itself. Also Herbert J. Kane supported the idea saying, the missionary activities did not start with William Carey or Apostle Paul or Jesus Christ but it started with God the Father himself (J Herbert 1986:15). "Fight hunger by changing your lifestyle" is a motto which has appeared in Church circles and which shows the people of the rich nations how to become brothers and sisters of the poor. To this end, especially in the more delicate areas of inculturation, particular churches of the same region should work in communion with each other90 and with the whole Church, convinced that only through attention both to the universal Church and to the particular churches will they be capable of translating the treasure of faith into a legitimate variety of expressions.91 Groups which have been evangelized will thus provide the elements for a "translation" of the gospel message,92 keeping in mind the positive elements acquired down the centuries from Christianity's contact with different cultures and not forgetting the dangers of alterations which have sometimes occurred.93, 54. CHAPTER IV - THE VAST HORIZONS OF THE MISSION AD GENTES, 31. But if they are to recognize the true God, they must abandon the false gods which they themselves have made and open themselves to the One whom God has sent to remedy their ignorance and satisfy the longings of their hearts. Address to Representatives of Non-Christian Religions, Madras, February 5, 1986: AAS 78 (1986), 767; cf. Ibid., 64: loc. Cf. The presence of these brothers and sisters in traditionally Christian countries is a challenge for the ecclesial communities, and a stimulus to hospitality, dialogue, service, sharing, witness and direct proclamation. John's Gospel differs from the Synoptic Gospels in several ways: it covers a different time span than the others; it locates much of Jesus' ministry in Judaea; and it portrays Jesus discoursing at length on theological matters. Cf. Salvation consists in believing and accepting the mystery of the Father and of his love, made manifest and freely given in Jesus through the Spirit. Religious freedom, which is still at times limited or restricted, remains the premise and guarantee of all the freedoms that ensure the common good of individuals and peoples. Ecumenical activity and harmonious witness to Jesus Christ by Christians who belong to different churches and ecclesial communities has already borne abundant fruit. Rather, her mission consists essentially in offering people an opportunity not to "have more" but to "be more." Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 31.163. In Rome, we find Paul "preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ'' (Acts 28:31). Here are Jesus's prayers that we have, with the number of words in the Greek (WH) in brackets: Matthew 11:25, 26 (29); 26:39 (19); 26:42 (15); 27:46 (4); Luke 10:21, 22 (29); 23:34 (8); 23:46 (8); John 11:41, 42 (26); 12:27, 28 (20). In these speeches Paul enters into "dialogue" with the cultural and religious values of different peoples. Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 7.102. 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and followed Jesus. Thus the Spirit, who "blows where he wills" (cf. The different versions of the "missionary mandate" contain common elements as well as characteristics proper to each. At the same time, by being imbued with Christ's love, they also show how divisions, tribalism and racism can be overcome. As Christ sent forth his apostles in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, so too, renewing that same mandate, I extend to all of you my apostolic blessing, in the name of the same Most Holy Trinity. Each member of the faithful and all Christian communities are called to practice dialogue, although not always to the same degree or in the same way. Like the apostles after Christ's Ascension, the Church must gather in the Upper Room "together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus" (Acts 1:14), in order to pray for the Spirit and to gain strength and courage to carry out the missionary mandate. This is part of God's plan, for it pleases him "to call human beings to share in his own life not merely as individuals, without any unifying bond between them, but rather to make them into a people in which his children, who had been widely scattered, might be gathered together in unity."78. God, as revealed above all in the parables (cf. Missionary Promotion and Formation Among the People of God. The Acts of the Apostles records six summaries of the "missionary discourses" which were addressed to the Jews during the Church's infancy (cf. Peoples are on the move; social and religious realities which were once clear and well defined are today increasingly complex. 83. Acts 1:8; 2:17-18). I sense that the moment has come to commit all of the Church's energies to a new evangelization and to the mission ad gentes. Then there is the community of believers, which in its way of life and its activity bears witness to the Lord and converts the Gentiles (cf. Note to the teacher: This lesson is an overview of Jesus' premortal, mortal, and postmortal life. The most insidious of these excuses are certainly the ones which people claim to find support for in such and such a teaching of the Council."58. "45 Excluding any mistaken interpretation, the interreligious meeting held in Assisi was meant to confirm my conviction that "every authentic prayer is prompted by the Holy Spirit, who is mysteriously present in every human heart. Difficulties both internal and external have weakened the Church's missionary thrust toward non-Christians, a fact which must arouse concern among all who believe in Christ. The special vocation of missionaries "for life" retains all its validity: it is the model of the Church's missionary commitment, which always stands in need of radical and total self-giving, of new and bold endeavors. cit., 19.63. Secondly, there are Christian communities with adequate and solid ecclesial structures. 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. For this we should reassess our own way of living: the missions ask not only for a contribution but for a sharing in the work of preaching and charity toward the poor. "Missionary cooperation" is the expression used to describe the sharing by communities and individual Christians in this right and duty. The mother of Jesus is said to be Mary, who conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit while she was still a Encyclical Letter Dominum et Vivificantem, 53: loc. The Missionary Union has as its immediate and specific purpose the promotion of missionary consciousness and formation among priests and men and women religious, who in turn will provide this consciousness and formation within the Christian communities. God's revelation becomes definitive and complete through his only-begotten Son: "In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom he also created the world" (Heb 1:1-2; cf. Lk 24:48; Acts 1:8), centered especially on the resurrection (cf. Missionary cooperation is rooted and lived, above all, in personal union with Christ. The future of the younger nations is being shaped in the cities. This love, even to the point of giving one's life, is a focal point for him. There are countries and geographical and cultural areas which lack indigenous Christian communities. Heb 4:14-16). For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth" (1 Tm 2:5-7; cf. Ibid., 23, 27.132. 46. In other places, these communities are so small as not to be a clear sign of a Christian presence; or they lack the dynamism to evangelize their societies, or belong to a minority population not integrated into the dominant culture of the nation. Since Christ died for everyone, and since the ultimate calling of each of us comes from God and is therefore a universal one, we are obliged to hold that the Holy Spirit offers everyone the possibility of sharing in this Paschal Mystery in a manner known to God."19. The Spirit Is Present and Active in Every Time and Place, 28. Nowadays the kingdom is much spoken of, but not always in a way consonant with the thinking of the Church. cit. Acts 13:46-48), a development not without certain tensions and problems. 48. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 6-9.78. Generosity in giving must always be enlightened and inspired by faith: then we will truly be more blessed in giving than in receiving. "21 I wrote this at the beginning of my Encyclical Dives in Misericordia, to show that Christ is the revelation and incarnation of the Father's mercy. While acknowledging the validity of various ways of being involved in missionary activity, it is necessary at the same time to reaffirm that a full and lifelong commitment to the work of the missions holds pride of place, especially in missionary institutes and congregations. This rite, to which Luke refers (2:22ff. Cf. Also to be noted is the real and growing interdependence which exists between these various saving activities of the Church. THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH IN THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN "Peace be withyou.As theFather hassent me,evenso1sendyou." (John20:21 RSV) The above statement of therisenChrist to his disciplesconstitutes the keystone ofatheology of mission for thechurch in the Gospel According to John. So, who, according to Mark, is this Jesus? But at the same time it is a difficult process, for it must in no way compromise the distinctiveness and integrity of the Christian faith. Cf. Another cultural concept deserves mention here- honor. You will also be a leaven of missionary spirit for the older churches. Mk 3:13-19), and in the proclamation of the Good News to the poor (cf. cit., 31 f.70. "120, My brother bishops are directly responsible, together with me, for the evangelization of the world, both as members of the College of Bishops and as pastors of the particular churches. Mission, then, is based not on human abilities but on the power of the risen Lord. In him, and only in him, are we set free from all alienation and doubt, from slavery to the power of sin and death. In this view, the kingdom tends to become something completely human and secularized; what counts are programs and struggles for a liberation which is socio-economic, political and even cultural, but within a horizon that is closed to the transcendent. Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Ecclesiam Suam (August 6, 1964): AAS 56 (1964), 609-659; Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Decree on the Missionary Activity of the Church Ad Gentes, 11, 41; Secretariat for Non-Christians, Document L'atteggiamento della Chiesa di fronte ai seguaci di altre religioni: Riflessioni e orientamenti su dialogo e missione (September 4, 1984): AAS 76 (1984), 816-828.100. cit., 547-560; Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio, 19-21, 41-42: loc. "32, Sent Forth "to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed: DS 150.6. The Church cannot elude Christ's explicit mandate, nor deprive men and women of the "Good News" about their being loved and saved by God. Address to the members of the Symposium of the Council of the European Episcopal Conferences, October 11, 1985: AAS 78 (1986), 178-189.62. Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici, 17: loc. "114, The young churches, which for the most part are to be found among peoples suffering from widespread poverty, often give voice to this concern as an integral part of their mission. 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. Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, 70: loc. Mk 1:15); its coming is to be prayed for (cf. cit., 458.154. Cf. In this regard, I earnestly ask theologians and professional Christian journalists to intensify the service they render to the Church's mission in order to discover the deep meaning of their work, along the sure path of "thinking with the Church" (sentire cum Ecclesia). The kingdom of God is at hand (cf. The process of the Church's insertion into peoples' cultures is a lengthy one. Thus, in these countries too there is a need not only for a new evangelization, but also, in some cases, for an initial evangelization.61. Pope Paul VI, who affirmed the existence of "a profound link between Christ, the Church and evangelization,"26 also said that the Church "is not an end unto herself, but rather is fervently concerned to be completely of Christ, in Christ and for Christ, as well as completely of men, among men and for men."27. Cooperation is expressed above all by promoting missionary vocations. The missionary is the "universal brother," bearing in himself the Church's spirit, her openness to and interest in all peoples and individuals, especially the least and poorest of his brethren. Jesus chooses and sends people forth to be his witnesses and apostles, so that they may share in his mission and continue in his saving work: "You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Ibid., 38; cf. And how will this story of Jesus be of any encouragement to Christians facing persecution? The first form of witness is the very life of the missionary, of the Christian family, and of the ecclesial community, which reveal a new way of living. cit., 802-804.89. In my first encyclical, in which I set forth the program of my Pontificate, I said that "the Church's fundamental function in every age, and particularly in ours, is to direct man's gaze, to point the awareness and experience of the whole of humanity toward the mystery of Christ."4. Baptism is not simply a seal of conversion, and a kind of external sign indicating conversion and attesting to it. In the modern age, missionary activity has been carried out especially in isolated regions which are far from centers of civilization and which are hard to penetrate because of difficulties of communication, language or climate. Without denying that on this level too there are values to be promoted, such a notion nevertheless remains within the confines of a kingdom of man, deprived of its authentic and profound dimensions. 61. When parents are ready to allow one of their children to leave for the missions, when they have sought this grace from the Lord, he will repay them, in joy, on the day that their son or daughter hears his call. Encyclical Letter Redemptor Hominis, 13: loc. In particular, it falls to missionary personnel - in accordance with the directives of the bishops and in cooperation with those responsible at the local level - to foster the spread of the faith and the expansion of the Church in non-Christian environments and among non-Christian groups, and to encourage a missionary sense within the particular churches, so that pastoral concern will always be combined with concern for the mission ad gentes. This is due to a variety of historical and cultural factors which must be removed where they still exist, so that the sacrament of spiritual rebirth can be seen for what it truly is. In proclaiming Christ to non-Christians, the missionary is convinced that, through the working of the Spirit, there already exists in individuals and peoples an expectation, even if an unconscious one, of knowing the truth about God, about man, and about how we are to be set free from sin and death. Mission is an issue of faith, an accurate indicator of our faith in Christ and his love for us. Dialogue is based on hope and love, and will bear fruit in the Spirit. Side by side with those who had been sent forth, there were also others, who bore spontaneous witness to the newness which had transformed their lives, and who subsequently provided a link between the emerging communities and the Apostolic Church. They should be ever mindful that "they owe their distinguished status not to their own merits but to Christ's special grace; and if they fail to respond to this grace in thought, word and deed, not only will they not be saved, they will be judged more severely."20. Jn 3:8). This grace comes from Christ; it is the result of his Sacrifice and is communicated by the Holy Spirit. True repentance does not always happen quickly; be patient with yourself as you strive to do what is right and correct mistakes you make. Results have not been lacking. also Encyclical Epistle Slavorum Apostoli, 21-22; loc. Even before the Council it was said that some Christian cities and countries had become "mission territories"; the situation has certainly not improved in the years since then. In the name of the whole Church, I sense an urgent duty to repeat this cry of St. Paul. 36 And he beheld Jesus walking by, and said, Behold the Lamb of God. The effectiveness of the Church's organizations, movements, parishes and apostolic works must be measured in the light of this missionary imperative. Missionary cooperation can also involve leaders in politics, economics, culture and journalism, as well as experts of the various international bodies.
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