We All Have a Role in the Church

The readings for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time have something very important to tell us. Being Catholic is not just about receiving a free gift of salvation, it is also about passing it on to others. Many people people feel you need an advanced theological degree and extensive training before taking on a role in the Church  In some cases that is true, but remember, God doesn’t so much call the equipped; he equips the called.  In the scriptures, people moved rather quickly from disciples to apostles or from ordinary lay people to prophets, and thus share in the mission of the Church to bring the Good News to all people. Everybody likes free gifts. Advertisers know that a campaign will have much better results if there are free samples or a free gift with every purchase. But when we receive a favor, we’re wise enough to know there is usually a catch somewhere. The giver expects something of us in return. At the beginning of his letter to the Ephesians, Saint Paul tells us that God is the most generous of all givers. In fact his generosity is immeasurable and unlimited. He does not just give us a percentage off the price of our purchase, or a trinket to induce sales. He does not just forgive a few sins and require that we work off the rest of our tab. He entirely cancels the debt, wipes the slate clean and, as a bonus, gives us supernatural insight into the cosmic plan that makes the whole universe tick, the “mystery” that underlies history. He gives us eternal life as a free gift, and as the down-payment on this inheritance, gives us the supernatural power of his own Spirit, dwelling in our hearts. But of course, there is a catch. We are filled with gifts so that we in turn can become givers. We owe love and worship and gratitude to the Giver, of course. But that’s not what He is most concerned with. After all, He is God, perfect in himself, and has no needs. Instead, His preoccupation is with our neighbors who do have needs. What we’ve received as a gift, He calls us to give as a gift. We are to “pass it on.” That’s why Amos, a simple shepherd and dresser of sycamores, is not just given God’s word, but is called to leave his home in Judah in order to bring that word to the royal sanctuary in Bethel. It’s also why simple fishermen and tax collectors were the first to be called disciples. They were the first ones who received and learned the teachings of the master who they soon realized was not just a gifted rabbi but was, in fact, the Messiah. Before they knew it, they were called “apostles,” meaning those who are “sent out” to spread that teaching. Unfortunately, when prophets and apostles bring God’s gifts, not everyone is excited. Some people do not want change, which is perhaps why the King’s chaplain told Amos to go home. Jesus warned His apostles that some people would not be interested in their message, and when that happened, they were to shake the dust of such towns from their feet and move on. The point of today’s Scripture passages, however, is that ministry is not simply restricted to the job description of bishops, professional clergy, or foreign missionaries. In Greek, the word bishop means “overseer” or “superintendent,” and while it is true that the bishops of the Catholic Church are the official successors of the apostles and ultimately bear responsibility for the Church’s mission to all nations, their role is not to do it all, but to oversee and direct it all. The Church teaches that every person who is baptized and confirmed receives directly from Christ a mandate to share in the Lord’s prophetic mission. We are all called to be prophets. A prophet literally means spokesman. While most of us will never be called to utter oracles that predict the future, we all are called to speak in behalf of God a message that sometimes challenges people and at other times brings them comfort. While most of us are not called to the sacrament of Holy Orders, we are all called to the “lay apostolate.” And according to the teaching of the Church, we’ve been amply equipped with all the gifts necessary to carry out this mission, endowed with “every spiritual blessing in the heavens” (Ephesians 1:3). Of course we need to develop these gifts and hone our apostolic skills, which is why we all. need education and formation and should actively participate in many of the educational and formation programs offered by the parish and the archdiocese. This is why the internet website Formed has been made free and available to every member of St. Helena’s For neither Amos nor the apostles were perfectly polished before they were sent out. If we wait till we know it all, we’ll never share it. There comes a point where we just have to take Nike’s advice and “just do it!”