PARISH RENEWAL (PART 3) BY NATASHA BERCHY, EVANGELISATION CO-ORDINATOR
Friday 19th August 2022.
Dear fellow parishioners,
I hope this message finds you well! This is my final instalment before Fr Richard comes back and reclaims his place on this page! Over the past couple of weeks, we have been on a bit of a journey, firstly by looking at personal renewal and how we need to constantly re-evaluate the place that our faith has in our lives. Is it core to who we are, or is it a peripheral element of our existence that doesn’t really have an impact on us at all? We then addressed the need for us to give of ourselves completely to Jesus in order to have authentic faith. As radical and difficult as it sounds, Jesus never watered that down for us: “Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:38) It is not an easy journey but scripture reassures us constantly: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)
What’s more, Jesus founded the Church in order that we may come together, and share our life and faith with one another. The Church is the living Body of Christ here on earth, and we are all members and partakers of that here in Caroline Springs. We have been given unique, God-given gifts and talents in order that we may serve Him in this moment.
But why is this so important? And does it end with us?
Absolutely not. Unfortunately, we (and by ‘we’ I mean Catholics all around the globe) have forgotten what our deepest identity is. The perception of the Church’s role and function has shifted due to a number of factors including increasing secularisation and consumerism. The result of this is dwindling faith. The ramifications of this can be seen far and wide in society, you only need to open the newspapers. We have forgotten that we can and should be doing something about this. This is our mission field. This is our call as Christians.
Many of us may believe that the Church’s work is that of the priest solely, and that the laity aren’t called to play any meaningful role in its integral mission. If we come to Mass and pray regularly, then that’s enough. On a purely practical level, we can see how unsustainable this ideation is. When over 99% of those who make up the Church are classified as ‘lay,’ you don’t need to be brilliant with numbers to see that asking and expecting less than 1% to organise, run, sustain, tend to, fix, teach, preach, meet, challenge (and any other verb you can think of), is implausible and unfair. The clergy have an extremely vital, irreplaceable role within the Body of Christ, but they need our support in order for them to effectively carry out the mission that they were ordained into.
On a deeper level, before he went up into heaven, Jesus told his disciples, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:16-20) This Commission still resonates with us today. And if you call yourself a disciple of Jesus, then this command from our Lord is for YOU. To not recognise this part of your Christian identity is to actually miss out on a HUGE part of what it means to be a Christian.
To draw everything from the past few weeks together, you cannot give what you don’t have. You cannot go out and be a bold proclaimer of the Gospel if you haven’t experienced the joy of the Good News for yourself. When the government was handing out the $250 Power Saving Bonus for those who looked into changing energy providers, I was on the phone with all my friends and family to tell them to get in on the incentive because I was rapt once that money hit my bank account! How much more enthusiastic should we be to share the Good News about Jesus Christ, who lived on this earth, suffered and died out of love for us and then rose again, opening up the doors for our eternal salvation, and who wants a personal relationship with each and every single one of us. If we have experienced His love and mercy, then of course, we would want to share it!
In saying that, it may be easier to talk about government incentives to those in our lives who don’t have the faith than Jesus. And this is where the parish community comes into play. The parish should not only be a place where we come and worship with one another, but also a place where we can share life with one another. It should be a place of learning and development, a place where we can equip ourselves for our missionary duty. Our parish should also be a place where we can bring along those who are questioning life’s big questions, and they will be welcomed and encouraged on their journey. This requires all of us to be involved.
So moving forward, I encourage you again to start with your own faith life. Everything we do must be rooted in prayer and guided by the Holy Spirit. Partake in the Mass with ‘fresh eyes’ as it is the moment when heaven and earth collide. Utilise the sacrament of Confession and unload the burden that sin has in all our lives. Spend quiet time alone with God and ask Him to show you what your gifts are and how He has called you to serve Him. And then connect with the community, smile and say “hey” to someone you always see after Mass but know nothing about. Stay back for a cuppa when it’s offered. Help the hospitality team make cuppas! Join Alpha when it reboots later this year. Learn more about your faith. Join the Bible Study Group or one of the other ministries available within the community. And I guarantee, that if you allow the time and space for it, God will reveal to you in what way He is calling you to serve Him. Because we all have that responsibility… and what greater thing can we share with those in our lives than the very person of Jesus Christ?
God bless you!
Natasha Berchy
(Evangelisation Co-ordinator)