Reflexion about the laity in the
Church.
It
is obvious that the lay people compose the majority of the Body of Christ, the
Church. They should be active member of theirs own parishes in their society. Who
are the lay people? Vatican II, in the constitution on the church, chapter IV,
refers to the faithful who are not members of the priestly state or of an
established religious order. Those who are baptized participate in the
priestly, prophetic and pastoral office in their own way and carry out their
own part of the mission of the whole Christian people should be called the
laity. Whereas the word “faithful” is contrary to “infidel or unbaptised”, the “laity”
is contrary to clergy or the ordained ministers; they belong in the same Church
but they do not occupy the same rank. The clergy is the guide and guards the
flock that is the laity. Laity is therefore a member of the Church by the
sacrament and to be witness of faith and participate in the mission o the
Church.
In
the language of the church, “lay” is intended to signify a particular status
and mission within the whole body of the people of God. It is important to
mention that laity is not college which is placed over against the college of
Bishops. In spite of it expresses a negative aspect as non-clerical; however,
the positive aspect is a participant in priestly, prophetic and pastoral office
of Christ. Lay and clergy are the same call to salvation and holiness, under
the Holy Spirit.
What
are the responsibilities of the laity? Lay people make their contribution
toward the attainment of the universal, final, historical which Christ had in
view in building up of His Body, the Church. The mission of the church is in
principle the same for all, namely to extend the message of Christ, to advance
the Kingdom of God. The mission of the laity, therefore, includes both,
liturgical and extra liturgical areas. This mission is to be fulfilled in the
church, and in the world, like today in collaboration with secular structures. In
the cooperation of lay and clergy, some made teachers or shepherd on behalf of
others, but all share a true equality with regard to the dignity and to the
activity common to all the faithful for building up of the Body of Christ. Fraternal
behavior is urged and a continuing dialogue is encouraged among clergy and
laity in order to open up fruitful possibilities for he spread of the Gospel; we
refer to St Augustine in this fraternal behavior; he said “what I am for you terrify
me, what I am with you consoles me. For you I am a bishop but with you I am a
Christian.” Lay can contribute to the witnesses of the church both as member of
group or association and also as individuals. They are in need of preparation
and training.
***
Reflexion about Africae Munus: The
new evangelization.
The
last part of Africae Munus talks about commitment to evangelization, mission as
gentes and new evangelization as the tasks facing the Church in Africa. The
Church passed three major important stages; the first one is the Jewish
Christian when there was no need for Gentle to pass Jewish culture to be
Christian. The second stage was Greco-Roman with European culture, everything
concerning theology and liturgy was cooked in Europe. Finally, Vatican II came
and accepted the new reality. This third stage is the world Church and the rise
of the Southern Church. There is also some mega trained which affect the Church
for example globalization, revive of culture and copartner with the world.
Therefore, there is a need to revise the method to evangelize our world today
because Christ and His Gospel either forgotten or not well understood. That is
the task of new evangelization.
In spite of the critique concerning the lack of administration
direction, the Vatican under Benedict XVI is at least in a full, upright and
locked position on one point which is the urgency of a “new evangelization.” It
is understood as reawakening a missionary spirit in the church. The term itself remains
difficult to pin down, is it primarily directed at the Western world or more
global initiative?
Is it basically about drawing people into practice of
the faith like filling up the churches on Sundays? Or is how the Christians
live their faith in this technology revolution?
The
new evangelization designates pastoral work to those who no longer practice the
Christian faith. The church in Africa is called to be witness of the Risen
Christ and to proclaim His Gospel by words, openness and respectful dialogue.
This witness is more focus on reconciliation, justice and peace. Africae Munus
talks about new presentation of the Gospel, a new methods and expression.
Church in Africa also is called to contribute to this new evangelization in
secularized countries especially in those countries where there is a lack of
vocation to the priesthood. Among the themes of this new evangelization are the
reconciliation, peace and justice (AM 169). This reconciliation must be
reconciliation with God and also with the neighbor. Remember, John Paul II said
that there is no peace without justice and there is no justice without
reconciliation. This question of reconciliation, justice and peace are
especially in the countries where there is violence, war, thirsting for true
justice and poverty. I should like to emphasize that new evangelization is a re-proposing the Gospel to those who have
experienced a crisis of faith.
****
The church: People of God.
The
three sacraments, which are baptism, confirmation and order, are juridical
signs by which the people of God are visibly established. Christians are the
new people of God, in a profound continuity with Israel, is called the church
of God. People of God is built and organized on these sacramental bases. All
members such as lay people and clergy take part in the activity of the church. By
linking the church with First Testament, the notion people of God determine the
religious status, first of all, it is the idea of election and vocation and the
term ecclesia means convocation. Election is always accompanied by service and
mission to realize the plan of God; this people are set a part. Then, the idea
of consecration to God, the people of God is devoted to praise God, to be His
witnesses, to serve Him and glorify God.
The
concept people of God as contained in the Holy Spirit allows us to affirm
simultaneously the equality of all the faithful in the dignity of Christian
life as well as their functional inequality as members. From the pastoral point
of view, this “people of God” lends itself to an extremely practical catechesis
and conveys a concrete and dynamic idea of the church because it shows how from
among the peoples on the earth, God gathers a people for Himself. This concept
people of God are a society willed and created by God for His service. The
specific difference is not between the people of God and other peoples but
between the Old Testament and the New Testament peoples.
This
concept people of God refer to the whole church as unity, not a particular
group of faithful within the church. The New Testament people do not stand in
opposition to the Nations, the Gentiles but it excludes only those who have no
saving relation to Christ. All the faithful belong to the people of God; there
must be no clericalization of the Church. The Church is in all cases the whole
people of God and the whole fellowship of the faithful. Everyone belongs
therefore to the chosen race, the royal priesthood and the holy nation, cf. 1Pt
2:9ff. All have been called by God, justified by Christ and sanctified by the
Holy Spirit. It is true that the Church is made up of individuals, by
individual called by God, becomes and remains a member of the Church. For that
reason, different groups were often in opposition in one society such as Jews
and Gentiles, free men and slaves, men and women, rich people and poor. God
himself gathers his people from every nation and class, the initiative lies
with God. Therefore the Church is not just an institution but institution of
God.
****
Sensus Fidelium and the
Magisterium.
Sensus
fidelium means “the sense of the faithful” as one community and which
characterizes the People as a whole. It is sometimes rendered as sensus fidei
which means “the sense of faith”, that is to say a supernatural appreciation of
faith with the gift of discernment where the people of God accept the Word of
God and discern it. Magisterium merely refers to the teaching authority, namely
the Pope and the others bishops or the so-called hierarchical.
The
Holy Spirit is present and active in the whole Church and not only in the
hierarchy. St John in his first letter affirms that the whole Church is the
temple of the Holy Spirit, anointed and animated by the Holy Spirit. Therefore,
the faith of the people of God is an important criterion of orthodoxy, every
members of the Church is at once a teaching Church and also a learning Church
including both the laity and the hierarchy. This sensus fidelium is manifested
when the whole Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, shows universal agreement in
matter of faith.
This
does not mean that every common belief of the faithful is true and accepted; however,
it does mean that the experience of the faithful is a source for theology and
for doctrine which is confirmed by the magisterium. Therefore, the faithful
should be consulted in the formulation of Church teaching because sensus
fidelium is an autonomous theological source but not distinct which need an
interactive with the magisterium. For example, during the funeral of Pontiff
John Paul II, people cried “santo subito” which means “saint now”, the faithful
wanted that immediate canonization but it needs the confirmation of the
magisterium. Of course, it is not an easy matter to determine the sensus fidelium.
The Church is not subject to majority rule but a community of discipleships of
Christ seeks the truth.
The
Church is called to proclaim, profess and witness to the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. It must be a Community united in the faith received from Christ and His
Apostles. Then, when there is conflict or new questions arise, the unity of the
Church requires some authoritative voice to resolve and address the issue. It
is not that the bishops are above the Word of God but it is their particular
ministry to see and analyze to it that the Word is properly interpreted and
proclaimed. The task of the sensus fidelium is also to bring the Gospel to the
world.
***
The Churches that the Apostles left
behind:
The unity of the Christians and the
Church as Body of Christ found in Ephesians.
The
image of the Church according to this letter as the Body of Christ stressed on the
unity of the Church. This church also is a universal body. The Jew and Gentile
have been made one in the one body of Christ. The author of this letter ask the
members to preserve the unity, reminding them that there is one body and one
Spirit…one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is
above all, and through all, and is in all, cf. Eph 4:4-6.
The
word “church” in Ephesians is used differently that it was in the others
letters. Paul used the word “Church” to refer to an individual community of
people gathered in the name of Christ. However here, there is only one Church.
All are united in one body with Christ who is the head. There is also no much
attention concerning to the parousia or the world would soon end but rather a
long future for Body of Christ, the united and universal church.
The
church is one because all who are baptized belong to the one body of Christ. As
I noticed in my village, there are many outstations in my parish, therefore,
the parish priest used to visit them once a year because only one priest and
some place are very far. However, three times a year, all the catechists came
to the parish to have a meeting and at that moment, they share what happen in
each small communities, they shared their challenges and their development.
Therefore, that unity of the Christians is there because they have the same
faith in Christ. They help each other during this meeting
The
challenge was that the communities of outstations depended a lot of the parish,
for instance, if there was a feast or events all communities came to the parish
but they have never visited in other communities; only the parish priest
visited those communities. Other challenge also is that it seems that there is
a superior community and inferior community among these Christians according to
the number of the members or according to the economic situation. So, this
parish and the communities need more practice of this union and mutual respect
among the members of each Christians household.
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