Recently I've posted a few times about the idea of Hope and what this means for us in our lives and for the people around us.
The Pope on his visit to the USA has given the theme for his visit 'Christ our Hope'. The Holy Father has spoken time and time again about what this means for the Church and what it means for the world around us. In an interview with the EWTN anchorman Raymond Arroyo the somewhat pious Host asked the then Cardinal Ratzinger what the new evangelization means. The Cardinal replied:
"It's not that we're going to have mass conversions and that the whole world is going to be Catholic... This is not the way of God. We are going to have smaller, but well formed and catechised communities who are sound in their faith. From these communities there will be a radiation of joy into the world allowing new life to flourish in the spring time of hope. Throughout history and looking back to the early church we started as only 12 apostles and from this community new life flourished and the world was changed".
It's important we get this... We have to become a Church of the beatitudes. I'm not talking about throwing away tradition here, far from it. We take everything with us, our liturgy, our living tradition and faith. Some people say the Church of the beatitudes should be the rainbow stole wearing, Von Harnak loving, Karl Rahner worshiping community. Well that's not what I'm on about. If I could i'd slam dunk that idea into the bin.
We are talking about a community which reflects the beauty, the majesty, the awesome raw truth of the love of mercy of Jesus Christ. Living our lives in the authentic christian sense which means to love until it hurts. Yet we have to be people of Joy... Again if your not the charismatic clap-aclap-ahandy then don't worry, I'm not either. But joy is expressed in many forms... Even if it is a Scottish dry sense of humour!!
Most of all we are called to be faithful to Christ, and that means being faithful to the 'Rock' which He left us, the Church.
The New Evangelization is a great challenge to each and everyone of us and one we need to take seriously.
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