Dear Friends,
I am writing this letter as I return from our planning meeting in Guatemala, so my mind is fresh with our discussions about the sister relationship we have between the Archdiocese of Omaha and the Diocese of Huehuetenango. One of the things we looked at as a group was the reason for the existence of our mission project. We wanted to be clear that we were all on the same page as we moved forward with our work. We spent some time reflecting on our goals and hopes. We had always said that this work and this relationship was based on our faith and in hopes of solidarity. We reaffirmed in our meetings that this work arises from the message of Jesus Christ.
Reflecting on who we are and where we are going is probably important for all Christians to do on a regular basis because it is easy to get sidetracked into the world’s view of things. From our world’s view, what Jesus teaches and what the church brings has to do with the life after this life. The world thinks that Jesus and his church have nothing to offer concerning our life in the here and now. They think we deal with the supernatural while the world deals with the natural. Religion, for the world, is simply an insurance policy in case there is an afterlife.
However, that is not what Jesus said or taught. Jesus said over and over again that the Kingdom of God HAD come and that the world HAD a new ruler. Jesus tells us that ruler is his Father, God. So when we pray in the Our Father for “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth” we mean it. We want God’s kingdom to happen in the here and now as it already is in heaven.
When Jesus and his first followers spoke about Good News they meant something HAD happened, something HAD changed, and that as a result of which the world HAD become a different place and that they should be working to make it so. Christians cannot simply be looking to a life after this life. We are working with Jesus to make his kingdom happen now! For our mission trips, we go not to simply do good work. We go to encounter the risen Christ who is present whenever Christians gather to do the work of the kingdom. Our world has been transformed and needs to continue being reformed.
If we understand that the Good News of Jesus is about something that has happened, then we understand that the good news about the future is not about leaving the earth and going to heaven. It must have something to do with heaven and earth coming together. Something to do with creation being restored.
God made this world of space, time and matter; he loves it, and he is going to renew it. The new creation is physical. If God is present then we are more truly human, more truly ourselves. God made humans to reflect his glory, his love, his wisdom and he does not reject it. God gloriously fulfills it – if we let him. When we live the good news we become more human not less. God wants to put humans right and the world right. This God accomplished through Jesus. God invites us to share in the work of Jesus.
That happens not just on mission trips, but every day and every moment where we open ourselves up to joining Jesus in the kingdom – here and now – loving, forgiving, showing mercy, helping others, giving ourselves in service…
Peace,
Fr. Damian