Oct 23 Fri
What is the Church's mission in the contemporary world?
Pope Leo XIV reminded Christians that “the first mission of the Church is to help people be attentive to the profound questions of life: those concerning our origin and our destiny, as well as those concerning the meaning of love and suffering.”
This requires a balanced mind, free from slavery to cultural trends, capable of viewing the world in a positive light whilst remaining steadfast in preserving and presenting the Gospel message in its entirety.
It is not by diluting the content of faith and softening its demands that Christianity can be made attractive.
It is the task of the whole People of God, especially pastors and theologians, to discern what in the cultures of our time is worthy of consideration, always taking the Word of God and the Tradition of the Church as the supreme criteria for discernment. This requires a balanced mind, free from cultural inclinations, capable of viewing the world in a positive light while remaining steadfast in preserving and presenting the Gospel message in its entirety.
The lay faithful, by virtue of their Baptism, are called to enliven the world with the Christian spirit and the vision of the Gospel. The principal settings for this activity are undoubtedly the family and the workplace, but it extends to every sphere of life.
The Church’s Social Doctrine guides the actions of Christians, who collaborate with all people of good will in promoting the common good.
The Church, therefore, desires to develop herself freely under any kind of government which grants recognition to the basic rights of the person and the family, and to the demands of the common good.
Likewise, the Pontiff made it clear that the Church’s mission is also fulfilled by contributing to the building of the earthly city. However, her methods and purpose are not primarily political in nature, but consist in bearing witness to faith and charity, together with a commitment to justice, peace, and fraternity.
Leo XIV further explained that the Church is neither “above” nor “beside” the world, but is grafted into it.
The logic of profit at all costs and the manipulation of information risk exerting undue pressure on people; they are forced to adapt to a lifestyle centered on the consumption of material goods, but our hearts are made to look upward, he said.
Proclaiming the Gospel requires believers to live lives of integrity. To fulfill the Gospel mission effectively, every baptized person must commit to cooperating with the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that their faith may be alive and expressed through consistent behavior.
In this context, he affirmed that “the separation between professed faith and daily life must be considered one of the gravest errors of our time.”
The Importance of the Holy Rosary
The Holy Father emphasized that Mary is a safe haven amid life’s difficulties. The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, celebrated every October 7, recalls the Virgin Mary’s special protection over the Church and promotes devotion to the Holy Rosary as a path of contemplation, conversion, and strengthening of the faith.
Pic: Mosaic Mater Ecclesiae, St. Peter's Square, Rome.
Project: Javier Cotelo. Execution: Virgilio Cassio.