20150506 RESISTANCE TO CHANGE IS THE GREATEST OBSTACLE TO THE NEW EVANGELISATION

20150506 RESISTANCE TO CHANGE IS THE GREATEST OBSTACLE TO THE NEW EVANGELISATION

Readings at Mass

First reading

Acts 15:1-6 ©

Some men came down from Judaea and taught the brothers, ‘Unless you have yourselves circumcised in the tradition of Moses you cannot be saved.’ This led to disagreement, and after Paul and Barnabas had had a long argument with these men it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas and others of the church should go up to Jerusalem and discuss the problem with the apostles and elders.

  All the members of the church saw them off, and as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria they told how the pagans had been converted, and this news was received with the greatest satisfaction by the brothers. When they arrived in Jerusalem they were welcomed by the church and by the apostles and elders, and gave an account of all that God had done with them.

  But certain members of the Pharisees’ party who had become believers objected, insisting that the pagans should be circumcised and instructed to keep the Law of Moses. The apostles and elders met to look into the matter.

Psalm

Psalm 121:1-5 ©

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

or

Alleluia!

I rejoiced when I heard them say:

  ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

And now our feet are standing

  within your gates, O Jerusalem.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

or

Alleluia!

Jerusalem is built as a city

  strongly compact.

It is there that the tribes go up,

  the tribes of the Lord.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

or

Alleluia!

For Israel’s law it is,

  there to praise the Lord’s name.

There were set the thrones of judgement

  of the house of David.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

or

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Jn10:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;

I know my own sheep and my own know me.

Alleluia!

Or

Jn15:4,5

Alleluia, alleluia!

Make your home in me, as I make mine in you,

says the Lord;

whoever remains in me bears fruit in plenty.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 15:1-8 ©

Jesus said:

‘I am the true vine,

and my Father is the vinedresser.

Every branch in me that bears no fruit

he cuts away,

and every branch that does bear fruit

he prunes to make it bear even more.

You are pruned already,

by means of the word that I have spoken to you.

Make your home in me, as I make mine in you.

As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself,

but must remain part of the vine,

neither can you unless you remain in me.

I am the vine,

you are the branches.

Whoever remains in me, with me in him,

bears fruit in plenty;

for cut off from me you can do nothing.

Anyone who does not remain in me

is like a branch that has been thrown away – he withers;

these branches are collected and thrown on the fire,

and they are burnt.

If you remain in me

and my words remain in you,

you may ask what you will

and you shall get it.

It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit,

and then you will be my disciples.’

RESISTANCE TO CHANGE IS THE GREATEST OBSTACLE TO THE NEW EVANGELISATION

SCRIPTURE READINGS: ACTS 15:1-6; JOHN 15:1-8

In the first reading we read how the Gentiles were hungry for the Word of God.  They were thirsting for the living water.  And we read of the apostolic success of the early Church in spreading the Good News to the nations.  “And as they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria they told how the pagans had been converted, and this news was received with the greatest satisfaction by the brothers.”  In contrast, we have the Jewish Christians who were steeply entrenched in their Judaistic roots beginning to confuse the Gentile converts.  “Some men came down from Judaea and taught the brothers, ‘Unless you have yourselves circumcised in the tradition of Moses you cannot be saved’. This led to disagreement.”

This situation is still present in our Church today.  When we speak of the New Evangelisation, the greatest obstacle comes from within rather than from without.  Opposition to change not only comes from the traditional lay faithful but most of all from the clergy and religious.  In fact our laity wants to see changes in the Church but the leaders are often unconverted.  Quite often they kill the enthusiasm of our laity who want to bring the Church forward and connect her with the world, the courtyard of the Gentiles.  That is why Pope Francis made it clear that we cannot speak of the New Evangelisation if we are not ready to make changes which require more than just adapting to new ideas and methods in proclaiming the gospel but a real personal conversion of the heart.  It calls for humility and courage to put out into the deep like St Peter, as St Pope John Paul II urged us.

How then can we overcome the fear to change and to take calculated risks for the sake of the gospel?  Of course not all changes are always for the better.  That is why we need to be discerning.  This is what the gospel is inviting us to do.  Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that bears no fruit he cuts away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes to make it bear even more.”  The pruning is necessary if we want to grow.  At every epoch of time, the Lord is pruning His Church to become more productive and fruitful.   So in our times, faced with secularism, relativism, materialism and individualism on one hand; and fundamentalism in religions and disunity among religions, the Lord is using these signs of the times to renew the Church.  She invites us to reach out and seek new ways to help our people to encounter God in their lives and to fulfil the thirst for authentic love in their lives, lasting meaning and purpose.

How do we discern?  What are the principles of discernment?  

Firstly, there must be openness to listen. Indeed, the apostles were willing to consider the narrow interpretation of the Jewish Christians who were still motivated by observance of the laws.  They were not able to fully embrace the teachings and implications of the gospel.  They were imposing their old mindsets on the Good News.  And so, “after Paul and Barnabas had had a long argument with these men it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas and others of the church should go up to Jerusalem and discuss the problem with the apostles and elders.” Listening is the first and necessary step in breaking down resistance to change.  Until we hear each other out in charity and love, fear will blind us to the truth.

Secondly, we must be one with Christ.  All discernment presupposes that we are all praying people, in intimacy with the Lord.  Unless we hear Him in our hearts, and are one in mind and heart with Him, we will lack the disposition for dialogue.  Dialogue without prayer will lead to contentious argument because we are unconsciously driven by our intellectual pride, self interests, fear and anxiety of the future, the pain and inconvenience of change.  Indeed, Jesus warned us, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is like a branch that has been thrown away – he withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire, and they are burnt. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask what you will and you shall get it.”  Only with Christ in us, can we speak with humility, charity and love.

Thirdly, regardless of any dialogue, we must be one with the Church.  To be in the vine entails that we be united with the body of Christ and not just Christ the Head alone.  We must be in union first and foremost with the leadership of the Church and the appointed successors of Christ.  This explains why they took the case to Jerusalem to be decided by the college of apostles.  “The apostles and elders met to look into the matter.”  Union with the vine requires union with Christ and His appointed apostles. There can be no genuine discernment without bringing the authorities to dialogue.  Only with the endorsement of the leaders of the Church, can we as Church move forward.  The support of the leaders is crucial.  Unfortunately, the cause of the failure to move forward is the failure of the leadership to align their leaders together in unity of mission. Unless leaders sing the same tune and are on the same page, we cannot accomplish the mission in communion.  God’s will is expressed in our leaders.  This also means that leaders have a grave obligation to ensure that they are prayerful, humble, discerning, sacrificial and selfless leaders.

Indeed, the ability to evangelize is dependent on our courage to change and the selfless motive in wanting to bring the Good News to all.  If we are concerned with mission and not maintenance, reaching out and not protectionism, then we will bear fruits in plenty.  But this mission in communion must be accomplished through communion in mission, communion with Christ and with His Church.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh

Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore

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