My current food for thought is called Forming Intentional Disciples by Sherry Weddell. I've been highlighting up a storm! However, there is one overarching concept in the book that I am very much struck by:
WE ARE NOT NORMAL.
We aren't! In the sense of what a Catholic community should be, the majority of parishes in 'Murica are simply not what they should be. What are we talking about here? Sherry's statement really packed a punch for me:
"A Church that understands itself as possessing the 'fullness of the means of grace' must yearn for the fullness of the manifestation of that grace."
In other words, what do we expect? My pastor is really big on the idea of expectations: getting across to parishioners what we require of them, and not being soft about said requirements. While that initially rubbed me wrong, I eventually realized that this isn't being inflexible - this is calling on God's people to a higher standard! Herein lies the crux: do we expect Jesus to change lives? Do we realize that the treasures we have in the Church can actually bear fruit? If we did, I think that we would approach everything differently.
As Catholic parishes, what is our job? I would say that it is to evangelize our communities, and to form those who are being evangelized (probably written down in more awesome words by a Pope or two somewhere). Yet, according to Weddell's book, "Asked whether spreading the faith was a high priority of their parishes, 75 percent of conservative Protestant congregations and 57 percent of African-American congregations responded affirmatively, whereas only 6 percent of Catholic parishes did the same."
WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?! (About to start head-banging rant... pulling back to constructive thinking...)
Here's the thing, Sherry says. Catholics don't talk about their faith (shocker)! They don't talk about their conversion experiences, they don't talk about their personal relationship with Jesus - often, they don't even know that they can have this relationship in the first place! However, to quote a famous Catholic guy:
"But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can
they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear
without someone to preach?" (Romans 10:14).
To paraphrase: how the heck is anyone supposed to learn how to follow Christ, if no one around them is following Christ, living our their baptismal call to be a priest, prophet and king??
Yeah, I just went there.
It was a huge eye-opener for me in college when I learned that "The Church exists in order to evangelize" (Evangelii Nuntiandi). Did you catch that? Exists in order to evangelize... as in, the whole purpose of the Catholic Church is to bring people to Jesus. It's not to do good works, although that is essential. It's not to run a bunch of programs, although we do need structures. It's not to keep the teenagers busy, so they don't get into trouble somewhere else (sorry, had to throw that one in there!). The purpose of the Church is to evangelize - to preach the Good News of salvation! If we're not spreading the faith, what are we doing?
As Sherry says, "Widespread neglect of the interior journey of discipleship has unintentionally fostered an immense chasm between what the Church teaches is normal and what many Catholics in the pews have learned to regard as normal. Many lifelong Catholics have never seen personal discipleship lived overtly or talked about in an explicit manner in their family or parish. It is difficult to believe in and live something that you have never heard anyone else talk about or seen anyone else live. It is also very difficult to openly hold a minority opinion or speak of a minority experience in the midst of a group that does not understand."
What if this describes our parishes, the very places where Catholics should be able to find people that understand their passion for Jesus Christ? It is a tragedy if a faithful Catholic, striving to be a saint, is the minority among their parish - or worse, even among the parish leadership.
Every person is supposed to be a disciple, not just those who are "really into that stuff" or "too religious." As Weddell says, many people think there exist "two basic spiritual 'tracks': 'ordinary Catholic' and 'saint.'" I read that and I thought, YES! So many people do think that way. I want to follow Jesus... but I don't want to do that one thing that makes me uncomfortable. I want to go to heaven... but I don't want the Church to tell me what to do in my personal life. I like belonging to St. So-and-So Parish, but I'm not like those crazy people who are really into it. I just want to be a nice person, and going to church makes me feel like I'm doing good things. Etc. etc. etc.
I think we need to spread the concept that being Catholic = trying to be a saint! Following Jesus Christ = striving for holiness, and sometimes being a little weird in the world's eyes! You can't go half-way... it's all or nothin'. We allow for weaknesses, of course; but the point is to be striving.
In our own parishes, we need to create a culture where this is "normal." Church should be a place where it is safe to be totally sold out for Christ, a place where we can go when we're weary from the world's nagging and teasing and criticism. How to create this culture is a constant discussion, and the task belongs to the creativity and insights of Catholics everywhere... but it needs to happen.
Sherry talks about how in the early 90's, she and some friends got together and decided to come up with a support group for lay Catholics. They drew up a mission statement, which included this excerpt:
Our Values
It is NORMAL for lay Catholics to have a living, growing love relationship with God.
It is NORMAL for lay Catholics to be knowledgeable about their faith, the Scriptures, the doctrinal and moral teachings of the Church, and the history of the Church.
It is NORMAL for lay Catholics to know what their charisms of service are and to be using them effectively in the fulfillment of their vocation or call in life.
It is NORMAL for lay Catholics to know that they have a vocation/mission in life (primarily in the secular world) given to them by God. It is NORMAL for lay Catholics to be actively engaged in discerning and living this vocation.
It is NORMAL for lay Catholics to have the fellowship of other committed lay Catholics available to them, to encourage, nurture, and discern as they attempt to follow Jesus.
It is NORMAL for the local parish to function consciously as a house of formation for lay Catholics, which enables and empowers lay Catholics to do #1-6 above.
It seems like we need to redefine "normal," eh?
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