|
 A CALL TO LIGHT THE WORLD WITH TRUTH
by Sr. Brenda Walsh, Racine Dominican
In the Gospel of Mark, Ch.
5: 14-16, a clear path is laid out for us as followers of Jesus:
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be
hidden. Neither does anyone light a candle and put it under a
bushel. It must be set on a stand to give light to the whole
house. Let your light shine before all so that they may see your
good works and give glory to your Heavenly Father.” Pentecost is a
good time to review our call to be light-bearers and to renew our
commitment to accomplishing the mission.
When we look around and
beyond us, we see a world often wallowing in darkness and
desperately in need of light. We hear stories of wars, murders,
abuse of every kind, and especially neglect of faith. In many
communities people are searching for spiritual food and not finding
it. It is our commission, working in the Power of the Spirit, to
remove the obstacles and allow the divine light to replace the
darkness. Each one of us has been given unique gifts and abilities,
and we are assured in Scripture that “God’s Spirit working in us and
through us will enable us to do infinitely more than we dare ask or
imagine.”
What are some things we can do
to fulfill our mission and bring God’s Light and Truth to our often
dark and dreary world?
The first requirement is to
go deep within, clear our own minds and hearts, to allow the Spirit
of God the freedom to work in us and through us. We can gather in
small groups and share the particular gifts the participants have
been given and give thanks. The next step is to identify ways in
which people could use their gifts to let the light of the Spirit
shine through each one. Identify places where their gifts could be
used effectively. People can get involved in naming some of the
untruths they see and hear portrayed in the media. A few examples
are that an accumulation of wealth can bring security and happiness;
war is the answer in addressing global conflict ; power, control
and privilege are our right - the right of one group to have power
over another. Then, pick an area where members of the group could
make a difference. Call on the Spirit for guidance along the path
chosen. The witness of our own lives and how we live our faith are
good ways to be light-bearers at this time and to let the light of
Truth enlighten our darkened world.
Evangelization is our first
priority. An important way to do this is by the example of our own
lives, in contrast to the world around us. We are called to do this
without compromise. We cannot let fear deter us from following our
call to be Light and Truth-bearers. It could be fear of criticism,
fear of losing our income in the church collection-basket at the
Sunday service or fear of losing our good name or position of
authority. God does not guarantee a life without trouble if we
preach the truth. We are called to preach the whole truth and to be
bold champions of the truth. It is wrong to refrain from
truth-telling because of our fear. We cannot put our light under a
bushel for fear of letting it shine. We pay the price as Jesus did
and we move on to accomplish our mission.
The Spirit will enable us
to be true followers and light bearers wherever we go. We live ln a
world waiting to be reborn, a church and world using God’s blue
print, and then we can bring the Light of Truth to our world. The
Spirit is given to each of us to continue God’s mission here on
earth. In small groups we can study ways to address the social
issues that need to be seriously examined, in order to restore God’s
image to our world - issues such as human trafficking, racism and
White power and privilege, care for creation, lack of needed
resources to address poverty and many more. Then we can provide
training to effectively address the issues and to reach out in
service to the poor and disenfranchised that are all around us and
beyond us.
Together we can help
prepare for the full coming of the Spirit into our own lives and to
fan into flame the divine energy in church and world. Reliance on
the power of the Spirit is the only successful foundation for this
endeavor, to ready the soil for new growth and a new Springtime in
the church. Together we can imagine what a renewed church and
world would look like and then work diligently to make it happen.
May the Holy Spirit breathe courage into our minds and hearts, Like
the early apostles, who were filled with fear, the Spirit came and
breathed on them and they were filled with courage and hope and they
preached the Gospel without fear. The same can happen in our lives.
We pray that we will be open to a new Pentecost in the
church. This is God’s call to each of us, regardless of age, sex or
condition. We have abundant opportunities to accomplish this. Christ
has handed on the Mission to each of us. Now is the acceptable time
to put it into practice. Together we can imagine what a
re-evangelized church and world would be and work together to make
it a reality. No effort is too small to make a difference. Come,
Holy Spirit, and renew our own lives, and the church and world.
|
Preaching
is at the heart of the Dominican vocation. The Dominican Leadership Conference
claims for all members of the Dominican Family the right to preach, and commits
itself to the struggle this claim entails. The injustices of our day compel us
to place the charism of preaching at the service of the poor and powerless. The
Dominican prophetic message, rooted in experience, study and prayer, will move
both preachers and hearers of the word to act for the transformation of
oppressive structures. The Conference on its part will act corporately,
confronting evil with the Gospel and working for the construction of a just
world order.
