Newspaper Page Text
The Southern Cross, Page 8
FaMh AMwei
Thursday, October 19, 2000
The course of the Gospel
over two millennia
All contents copyright©2000 by CNS
By William M. Thompson
Catholic News Service
hy is it that the Gospels, and
even all the biblical writings, attract
different individuals, groups and even
entire historical periods in somewhat
different ways? In great part this
seems to reflect the different ways we
participate in Christ — the different
ways we know and love Christ and
relate to him.
Participating in Christ means get
ting into a relationship with him on
all levels of our being: emotional,
spiritual, physical, social — every pos
sible level.
Throughout church history, such
relationships with Christ have oc
curred on at least three distinct but
complementary levels: universal,
group and individual.
All of us are called to know and love
“the whole Christ.” This is the com
mon or universal form of participation
in Christ offered us through the
Spirit’s indwelling presence.
After all, it cannot be said that only
some privileged few have access to the
whole Christ, while most of us have
access to only some “small portion” of
him. That is the path taken by the
gnostics of all ages, those claiming to
be “in the special know.”
In the eucharistic gathering, in
hearing the word proclaimed and re
ceiving Communion, we are experi
encing our common share in the
whole Christ. The cycles of biblical
readings at the Eucharist, eventually
covering all of Scripture, might be
said to symbolize Christ’s invitation to
all to participate in the fullness of his
mysteries.
Participation is the “royal road” to
knowledge, as all lovers know!
We need to get away from this no
tion of involvement in our faith as
being a type of spectator sport, one
with little or no relationship with the
Lord. Knowledge of Christ comes
through commitment to him.
Down through the church’s history
the common “reception” of Scripture
through hearing it preached, through
seeing it visualized in art — among
other ways — has made our common
participation in Christ a continuous
reality.
However, the Spirit, leading us to
Christ, offers different and unique
gifts to each of us. God does not create
clones or photocopies, but unique per
sons, who share in Christ in uniquely
splendid ways. (In fact, Scripture it
self vividly illustrates this truth. For,
each of the Gospels, and indeed each of
the Bible’s books, is a unique form of
participation in the mystery of the
whole Christ.)
It would seem that the different
ways the Gospels have been received
in church history typically stem from
these unique forms of participating in
Christ (again, having a relationship
with him) on the part of individuals,
as well as on the part of whole groups.
As I said, we all share in the whole
Christ. Yet, not every aspect of Christ
is necessarily equally relevant at all
times to all people. People and histori
cal periods typically have differing
needs and opportunities. So it may
happen that some aspect of Christ is
ignored, understressed or insuffi
ciently grasped at different points in
time or by different people.
■ ■ ■
As unique individuals we have our
special attractions to certain dimen
sions of Christ’s life and teaching, and
correspondingly we have our special
articipation is the ‘royal
road’ to knowledge, as all
lovers know! We need to get
away from this notion of
involvement in our faith as
being a type of spectator
sport, one with little or no
relationship with the Lord.”
attractions to the parts of Scripture
mirroring these dimensions.
The Spirit even inspires individu
als and groups (saints, mystics,
church officials, religious communi
ties, advocacy groups, etc.) to share
the fruits of their participation in
Christ.
Pope John XXIII, for example, at
the final session of the Second Vatican
Council’s Preparatory Commission
(June 20, 1962), movingly spoke of the
importance the Gospel of John held for
him. His papal name was inspired by
John the Baptist’s willingness to open
a path for the Lord (Jn 1) and by the
Beloved Disciple, to whom the last
discourses of the Lord (Jn 14-17) were
given.
“The whole evangelical message
breathes in those sublime pages,”
Pope John said of John 14-17. His
desire to be a pastoral pope was in
spired by John’s image of the Good
Shepherd (Jn 10). This pope’s desire
to promote Christian unity was in
spired by John 17, “that all may be
one.”
Pope John Paul II’s desire to lead
the Christian world in celebrating
the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000
— a jubilee of the incarnation —
almost alone and amid significant
opposition, can be considered a char
ismatic reading of Luke 4:19 where
Jesus announces the year of favor of
the Lord.
Whether through pope or layper
son, the Spirit knows how to share the
fruits of our participation in Christ
and his Gospel for the good of church
and world. The Sermon on the Mount,
for example, becomes eloquently at
tractive in a Dorothy Day, who co
founded the Catholic Worker move
ment.
Of course, there is another factor to
consider in the different ways the Gos
pel is received by people. We need to
recognize that there are refusals to
participate in Christ — and failures
— stemming from human weakness,
limitation and sin. These, then, are
mirrored in the reception of the Gos
pel.
The crucial factor in how Scripture
is received would seem to be the fact
that we participate in Christ and the
quality of our participation. If you
want, this is another way of stating
an old truth: that the Spirit at work in
Scripture is the same Spirit at work
in and accepted by us.
(Thompson is a professor of theol
ogy at Duquesne University, Pitts
burgh, Pa.)
FAITH IN THE MARKETPLACE
What in the Gospel most
eomforts you? What
challenges you?
“A great challenge to me is in
the Gospel of John when Jesus
gives a new commandment saying:
‘Love one another. As I have loved
you.’ So you should love one
another. Wow!” — Craig Digmann,
Scotch Grove, Iowa
“I find most comforting Jesus’
words, ‘Come to me all you who
labor and are burdened, and I will
refresh you.’ I find most challeng
ing Christ’s daily directive, ‘Take
up the cross and follow me.’” —
Sister Cecilia Faber, OP, Gaylord,
Mich.
“What comforts me most in the
Gospel is the love God has for me
though I am a sinner.... The
challenge is to overcome my
sinfulness, to love others and
myself as God does.” — Linda L.
Dokey, Hawkinsville, Ga.
An upcoming edition asks: In 20
words or less, make an important
statement about who Jesus is for you.
If you would like to respond for
possible publication, please write:
Faith Alive! 3211 Fourth
St. N.E., Washington,
D.C. 20017-1100.
FOODFORTHOUGHT
Discussions of anonymity were common in the mid-20th century. The underlying notion was that people felt lost
in the crowds of sprawling megalopolises, felt they weren’t noticed by others and didn’t count for much to many.
Not surprisingly, many in the church at that time began focusing in sharply on Jesus as a brother and
compassionate friend. The notion that grace is not a “commodity,” but that through grace Jesus enters into a life
sharing relationship with us, became a common theme. Similarly, the Gospel law of love (love of God, love of
neighbor) was at the center of so many discussions about faith.
“Anonymity” is unpleasant. After all, how many of us really want to count for very little to others'? How many
really prefer to be left out in our culture, “left alone”?
The Gospel message of love, along with the message that Jesus knows us and that we become part of his life,
resonated compellingly in a culture concerned about anonymity.
The Gospel interacts with the people and culture, needs and hopes of every historical time period.
35 David Gibson, Editor, Faith Alive!
CNS photo by Bill Wittman