Open Reflections

για Ελληνικά πατήστε εδώ

…to the obedience of Faith

The Good News must be heard and must be widely spread so that it would lead the listener to the knowledge of God. Man’s heart then will be gradually enlarged to the dimensions of Divine Love.

The Church’s Apostolic Mission, i.e. her missionary activity, is an indication of her authenticity and vitality.

The Good News of which she is the guardian, by its nature cannot remail hidden, inert or ignored.

The Incarnation of God’s Son, His Passion and Resurrection constitute both the centre and the horizon of the Church’s life and work.

At the same time, those who hear the Gospel’s message are invited to take a clear position regarding it, for “to listen” means to be an active listener and not a passive receiver.Very often the Lord ended His admonitions to the crowds by this phrase: “Whoever has ears, let him hear”.

When we attentively listen to the Divine Word, the Logos, we let God’s light and grace to enter our heart and mind. Saint Paul understood this very well when he wrote to the Romans: ” Through Christ we have received grace and mission to the obedience of Faith in all nations for His name (Rom. 1, 5).

All the baptised have been invited to the obedience of Faith and all participate in the great and important task to make our Faith known in the world.

Let us not turn away from this responsibility, because, as Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) said:

 “Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
no hands but yours,
no feet but yours,

Yours are the eyes through which to look out
Christ’s compassion to the world

Yours are the feet with which he is to go about
doing good;

Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.”

Forward, then, into the world!

Mission, the Raison d’ être of the Church

God our Father,

You desire that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of your truth. Send workers for your great harvest, so that the Gospel be preached to every creature, and may your People, gathered round the Word of Life and strengthened by the power of your sacraments, progress in the way of salvation and love.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ with whom you live and reign in the unity of the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.

(Prayer from the liturgy of the Church on the World day of missions).

Did you know…

The modern day Greek verb ακούω (=to hear/listen) originate from the Ancient Greek, from the word α-κόF-ω, Indo-European stem kew-, skwe- .

In Sanscrit kav-is =wise (σοφ-ός in Greek), in Latin cav-eo =I pay attention, in French/English caution (=attention).

The following words are, also, related to the above: show (English) and Shau (German).

In Ancienr Greek κοέω (κοF-έω) – to observe. Also, α-κεύ-ω means to keep (an order0/to obey.

we see, then, that in the Indo-European linguistic group attention and hearing have common etymological origin and they are even related to the notions σοφός (=wise) and aspect (Shau); this indicates the close relation these notions have with the millennia development of human conscience and experience.

Wise is not he who gathers information, but rather he who carefully listens and observes (and judges) the information received.

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