|
|
 AITH
IS A GIFT from God by which we are able too see
everywhere the signs that God's plan of salvation is being
fulfilled throughout history.
 This
faith vision helps us avoid pessimism and become optimistic.
This optimism comes from faith in God our Father, hope in
His Son Jesus Christ, and love in the Holy Spirit.
God
our Father is Lord of the universe and he blesses us with
goodness and mercy. God is preparing what the Holy Father
calls "a great springtime for Christianity". With the eyes
of faith we can already see signs of this springtime:
- people are drawing closer to Gospel ideals and
values;
- most people want no more war and violence;
- there is a universal respect for the dignity of the
human person;
- a desire for freedom, justice, and brotherly and
sisterly relating is prevalent;
- racism and nationalism are not wanted any more;
- the collapse of major negative forces such as
communism, Naziism, apartheid, and militarism has and
continues to happen;
- various denominations of Christians want to
reunite.
Hope
in Jesus Christ as the only Saviour of the world is needed
to sustain us. As well, we need to pray as Jesus taught us,
"Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in
heaven."
Love
in the Spirit of the Father and Jesus living in us empowers
and commissions us to spread the Good News of salvation to
everyone. Two-thirds of the world's five billion people are
waiting to be evangelized. In North America three out of
four Catholics do not go to Church and need our outreach to
invite and welcome them back.
Our
faith, hope, and love is so needed locally in every parish,
especially as we approach the Great Jubilee Year 2000. The
Holy Father has given us a program for the next three years
to prepare ourselves:
- 1997 is to be spent focusing on Jesus Christ today,
yesterday, and forever;
- 1998 focuses on the Holy Spirit as the One Who
empowers us to prepare;
- 1999 is our journey to the Father, beginning with
Reconciliation and ending with the great celebration in
the year 2000.
There
are many things we can do on the parish level to implement
this program. Daily we can unite with the Holy Spirit
praying in us as we prepare for the Jubilee Year. We can
gather together to study the Holy Father's encyclical
"Toward the Third Millennium" and become captivated by its
spirit, and carry out the program the Holy Father has
outlined, in ourselves, our families, our parish community,
our neighbourhood. We can put up billboards on church
property to remind everyone of the preparation required for
the Jubilee Year 2000. We need to be ecumenical-minded in
order to bring about unity among all Christians and
non-Christians. Our young people need us to walk with them
on this journey of preparation. They will be the people of
the third millennium and its springtime. Also, a parish
mission is something that will help everyone prepare.
|
|
Return
to Table of Contents