- In this part of the document and the instructor’s commentary, what did you find most helpful or challenging? Why?
- Which type of mission field do you feel is your main vocation? Why?
- List the ministries of your parish that help change your society and the world beyond your country. (For a list of all parish ministries, check your Sunday bulletin or parish website, or ask the church secretary for a directory of parish ministries.) Briefly state what these ministries change.
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July 1st, 2007 at 12:30 am
In this part of the document and the instructor’s commentary, what did you find most helpful or challenging?“In the Holy Spirit, we become the saints who change the world.†Many people think of themselves as ordinary human beings - just living everyday “non-eventful†lives. I too have thought this, and sometimes still do - especially in times of doubt in myself. I am reminded of St. Therese de Lisieux (someone, who I just recently decided on w him to study). In the film which depicts her life, she is said to be an “ordinary person†who became a saint. In her diary, she expresses her desire to be a saint. I sort of wonder about how ordinary she really was as her life, and the influences around her in my view were not so ordinary. She experienced extraordiary events in her life. What I find most challenging and confusing is being able to accept her as an ordinary person, because her family situation (their extreme devotion to Christ) far surpasses my own experiences. Icompare myslef to her, and when I do that, I don’t see her as ordinary. I live in a family who raised me as Catholic and is perceived by non-believers and non-active Catholics to be “religiousâ€. I don’t consider to have lead a “religious†life at all in the sense that these “outsiders†(for a current lack of better term) intend. I went to Church every Sunday and attended Mass on Holy days of obligation. I don’t consider these things to be anything other than “normalâ€. What would have made me extraordinary and perhaps worthy of the “religious†title wouldhave maybe been to attend Mass everyday and spend much of my time in prayer. I practised my faith to an extent of what I thought was prescribed - therefore, I was ordinary. I look at St. Therese de Lisieux, and she WAS extraordinary, so I find it puzzling that the film’s title calls her ordinary. Therefore, I have a hard time seeing myself as someone who can become a saint who will change the world. I have grown closer to Christ in the last couple of months (and would now call myself worthy of the “religious†titleâ€, but I still see myself hardly able to be a saint who will change the world. But perhaps we perform our saintly duties in our everyday lives, and each person who evangelizes bny their actions and the way that they live is a saint in their own right. Because we are human, we are not perfect and so being a saiont does not require perfection. It is so easy to “fear that we are too insignificant to make a differenceâ€. The world challenges us with so much opposition - on large and small levels, whether in be in the form of politicakl resistance or even a hurtful comment from a friend who really doesn’t understaqnd the significance of what they say. John Paul II in his inaugaral speech said, “Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors to Christ.†In this encyclical, John Paul II says that we need to have faith in order to fulfill our missionary duites as Christians, but I also think that we need courage as well. Even though I have great faith, I lack courage. I don’t know how to repond sometimes to what people say or do. Once again, this is a trait of an ordinary person, and although I have been a witness to the workings of the Holy Spirit within me, I am not sure if I possess necessary saintly qulities, even though I would like to have them. (Or should I more properly say, I possess them through the Holy Spirit but it’s manifesting these qualities all the time that I have difficulty with…and I would assume many people think the same way.) You have said that “Having an extraordinary life that is witness to the truth of Christ should be normal because we have the Holy Spirit to help us.†I completely understand that, so what can people do to overcome this “inherent†fear that we posses which is comtradictory to our inherent holiness that we posses?
“Difficult persons have a distinctive desire to return to God andi nherently dislike sin.†I found it very helpful that you point out practical ways of doing this. In order to be missionaries, ordinary people have trouble knowing where to even begin and proceed. I also found is helpful when you mention how ecclesial communites must contain 3 essential elements. Since I am returning to religious education (this time as a coordinator and resource support worker rather than teacher) I am able to understand where our program was lacking.
“Respect means we realize that we can learn from the other person while they’re learning from us.†So much of what I learn from this encyclical is already being taught to teachers - I am a teacher by profession and in order to build trust with your student, they need to know that you respect them and their life experiences ie. what they bring to the table
What type of mission field do you feelis your main vocation?
I feel like I can’t answer this question with a definite answer. I amin a place right now where I don’t feel like I am “at home†with anything that I am doing, except for growing closer to God. However, even then, I have times when I feel like I should not be pursuing the things that I am pursuing - developing eccesial small communities “groups†within my parish because of the lack of support I am getting from others. It seems like no one has the time, or even offers up any sort of encouragement because everyone is busy. I therefore, become unsure if honestly there is a point. I also worry about what others think of me. Honestly, it seems like this road is a very lonely road, and even though Jesus holds my hand, I can’t believe that I don’t seem to have the “wings†holding me up that I would expect. People are just too busy. So, I question my profession and everything else that I do constantly - especially now.
March 26th, 2008 at 2:34 am
1. I could literally feel the presence of the Holy Spirit while I was reading this section. I felt an anointing of the Holy Spirit who felt great like a taste of heaven.
2. My mission is to be an evangelist. I used to go to a Charismatic/Pentecostal/Word of faith church. They told people to be very aggressive in evangelism. There was some truth to what they said. We need to pray for the Holy Spirit to open doors rather than trying to open doors by our own strength.
3. I don’t presently attend a Catholic parish. I would like to go to mass. I have only been to one mass in my whole life.
March 26th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
1. I’m an evangelist by heart. Evangelism is my heartbeat for Christianity. I look forward to have opportunities to witness for the Lord.
2. The mission for me is to be an evangelist and educator. I have gone to school for 28 years. The more I learn the less I really know. I like to study God’s Word with my friend Kevin.
3. I’m a member of the Salvation Army. They help feed and give services to the poor.
April 14th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
1.The most helpful part is where it says, “Christianity is open to universal brotherhood, for all men and women are sons and daughters of the same Father and brothers and sisters in Christ. in my view, with the help of Holy Spirit, we can evangelize and change the face of the earth with our brothers ans sisters from other denomination who profess that God is the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ who suffered, died and rose again for our salvation and in the Holy Spirit the giver of Life. This is practically seen during the Ecumenical Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
2. In our Small Christian Communities (known in Kiswahili as Jumuiya Ndogo), we have eight Ministries. Out of the eight, I have headed the “Sunday School” ministry for over ten years. This serves as my Mission field because all I do is to teach the young boys and girls the Catechism of the Church so that when they go for Mass the know what it really means. Again we prepare them for the Baptism (for those not Baptised) and First Holy Communion.
3. In my parish we have eight ministries namely: i) Liturgy ii) Sunday School iii) Health iv) Needy v) Youth Affairs vi) Justice and Peace vii) Family Affairs viii) Finance and Development ; not mentioning Catholic Men Association, Catholic Women Association, Lectors. Extraordinary Ministers,Couples for Christ, Sacred Heart of Jesus, etc. All these ministries Have one thing in common, evangelization and spreading the Good News. The question each of should should ask himself/herself is “How do I follow Christ?, How do I make Christ known to non-Christians and those nonactive Catholics?” The Jesus we participate in, are graced by, and redeemed by is the RISEN Jesus who became the Christ which is an inclusive statement about all of us who believe in Him and in all creation. Evangelization means helping the needy, taking care and visiting the sick, accepting the youth as part of the Church, mending the broken or breaking homes by counselling the parties concerned, challenging bad governance,and taking part in churh projects by all who call themselves the Body of Christ here on earth.