Reflections
“In the measure you give, so shall you receive.”
The Good News is not some thing we are meant to hoard and keep for ourselves. It must bear fruit; it must be shared with the world. A lamp is not meant to be hidden under our bed; it is put on a stand so that it may illuminate our room. By the same token, the gospel is not some precious treasure to be celebrated and preserved in the church; it exists to be shared and made visible. It is meant to illuminate the world. For that reason mission is essential to the life and purpose of the church. A mission driven church is fruitful. On the other hand, a church that is inward looking, concerned only with its own preservation and safety, becomes sickly; even what it has will be taken from it. This was the central message that Pope Francis shared with the conclave where he was elected pope. He described self referentiality as the greatest danger facing the church. When Jesus knocks on the door, he said, it is not only to be let into the church—but to be let out, to go out to the margins, to pursue his mission of gathering the lost sheep. We must have the faith to open the doors and let him out! And the courage to follow.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019
