Introduction
When I was still a teenager … it seems like another lifetime away … I memorised Philippians 2:5-11. Now, more than sixty years later, I am just coming to appreciate the power of the words “Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus” (v. 5).
I am of the view that the See, Judge, Act method, developed by Cardinal Joseph Cardijn more than one hundred years ago, hinges on these words. The faith that is put into action through the use of the Review of Life (ROL) is meant to be an expression of the desire for a close and intimate relationship with Jesus.
Just imagine what it might have been like when Jesus finished the Jewish equivalent of secondary school … you will find these ideas in Kevin Cotter’s book Called … he chooses to continue his studies by seeking an apprenticeship with a rabbi. The only words the rabbi utters to him are “Lek hackeri” (Follow me). These are the words that Peter, Andrew, James and John hear when Jesus calls them to follow him. We can find a beautiful story about this time-honoured education method in the 1 Samuel 3: the young Samuel, who is apprenticed to the prophet Eli, hears God calling him in the night.
In the Gospel Enquiry, we aim to listen for the voice of Jesus calling us to an ever deeper relationship with him. He accompanies us as we put our faith into action. Concerning our actions, carried out in union with Jesus, Cardijn describes them as:
… the personal acts of a son of God and a brother of Jesus Christ, through body and spirit, for the service of God and the human community.
What follows is an extract from the Gospel of Luke. It is a record of words ascribed to Jesus. Keep in mind as you read the passage that Jesus is a Jewish man raised in a Jewish family in Nazareth and his words reflect the mind and heart of one at home in his culture and with a relationship with God nurtured by family and community and culture.
The Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a baptism I must still receive, and how great is my distress till it is over!
‘Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’ (Luke 12:49-53)
The Enquiry
See
Use a copy of St Luke’s Gospel to find out about the context for this account of Jesus’ reflection on the impact of his missionary work. How do you interpret his words: “I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already!”?
What impact does his missionary work have on his society? Do his followers continue to have that impact today?
If Jesus came to announce the Good News of the coming of God’s Kingdom, why does he speak about division and destruction? Why does the Good News have this sort of impact?
Judge
What do you think about Jesus’ message in this passage? Does it frighten you to hear him speak so negatively about his impact on peoples’ lives? Or do you find some comfort in what he says?
If you are trying to follow Jesus in your life, do you experience rejection and persecution, or apathy because of your decision?
Why does Jesus persist with bringing “fire to the earth”? Do you accept this as your mission?
ACT
What is Jesus calling you to do about the world in which you Iive?
What small action can you carry out that will contribute to the change Jesus wants to see in the world and in you?
Who can you involve in your action, when, where and how often?
Image Source: Sharon Tate Soberon (Creator), “I Came to Cast Fire Upon the Earth!”, Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0
Worth reading: Cardijn, J. (1964). Laypeople into Action. Originally published in French in 1963, this is the only book written by Cardinal Joseph Cardijn. The book was translated into English by Anne Heggie and published in 1964 as Laymen into Action. Almost 60 years later, ATF Press released an imprint of this classic. You may order a copy here. Cardijn’s words quoted in the Introduction were taken from Chapter 10: “The Formation of Lay People for their Apostolate.”
Cotter, K. (2017). Called: Becoming an Everyday Disciple in a Post-Christian World. Notre Dame, Indiana: Ave Maria Press.
[• What is Jesus calling you to do about the world in which you Iive?
• What small action can you carry out that will contribute to the change Jesus wants to see in the world and in you?
• Who can you involve in your action, when, where and how often?]
Here is my suggestion:
Avoid scandal and help the poor
“A preferential option for the poor” should be maintained in our Catholic Schools. If we find that we cannot afford to keep our schools open to the poor, the Church should be ready to use its resources for something else which can be kept open to the poor. We cannot allow our Church to become a church primarily for the upper classes while leaving the poor in the public schools. The priority should be given to the poor even if we have to let the upper classes fend for themselves.
Practically speaking, the Catholic Schools must give up general education in those countries where the State is providing it. The resources of the Church could then be focused on “Confraternity of Christian Doctrine” and other programs which can be kept open to the poor. These resources could then be used to help society become more human in solidarity with the poor. Remember, the Church managed without Catholic Schools for centuries. It can get along without them today. The essential factor is to avoid scandal and cultivate enough Faith to act in the Gospel Tradition, namely, THE POOR GET PRIORITY. The rich and middle-class are welcome too. But the poor must be included.