Catechetical Sunday 2011

“Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (Col 2:7)

The theme of our Catechetical Sunday this year will focus on the message of Pope Benedict XVI on the occasion of The World Youth day which will be held in the Spanish capital, Madrid, on the month of August 2011. The theme “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in faith” is taken from Colossian 2:7.

The mass media brings every corner of the world together, giving us the opportunity to look at the world as a whole. As we look at the globalized world nowadays, we, somehow, encounter face to face the problems of human, culture and faith. People tend to remove God from their lives, doing things without the intervention of God. As they strive to fit into the flow of the current world, in which being number one is indispensible and the measure of success, everything becomes useless and meaningless. They find themselves living in an empty world without purpose because they thought that they can do anything without Him. In his message to the youths, the pope encourages them to strengthen their faith in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He said, “You are the future of society and of the Church!” As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians of Colossae, it is vital to have roots, a solid foundation! Especially in today’s world! The desire for a more meaningful life is a sign that God created us and that we bear His “imprint”. We are all “called to communion with God. This invitation to converse with God is addressed to man as soon as he comes into being. For if man exists it is because God has created him through love, and through love continues to hold him in existence. He cannot live fully according to truth unless he freely acknowledges that love and entrusts himself to his creator” (Gaudium et Spes 19§I). To set God aside is to separate ourselves from that source and, inevitably, to deprive ourselves of fulfillment and joy: “without the creator, the creature fades into nothingness” (Gaudium et Spes 36).

In order to highlight the importance of faith in the lives of believers, Pope Benedict once again helps us to reflect on each of the three terms used by Saint Paul in the expression: “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7). This means that our faith must be grounded in Jesus as the source of our hope, life and love. “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit” (Jer 17:7-8). For the prophet, to send out roots means to put one’s trust in God. For from Him we draw our life. Without Him, we cannot truly live. In His homily Pope Benedict said, “Only where God is seen does life truly begins. Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is. We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary” (Mass, Imposition of the Pallium and Conferral of the Fisherman’s Ring for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome, 24th April 2005). “God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son” (1 Jn 5:11).

As we celebrate this Catechetical Sunday, let us focus our minds and hearts to Jesus Christ our Lord, by going back to the roots of our faith. As the Pope says, “Just as the roots of a tree keep it firmly planted in the soil, so too the foundations of a house give it long-lasting stability. Through faith, we have been built up in Jesus Christ, even as a house is built on its foundations. Sacred history provides many examples of saints who built their lives on the Word of God. …Being built up in Jesus Christ means responding positively to God’s call, trusting Him and putting His Word into practice”.

Indeed, there is a strong current of secularist thought that aims to make God marginal in the lives of the people and society, at large, by proposing and attempting to create a “paradise” without Him. Yet, by and by, experience tells us that a world without God becomes a “hell”: filled with selfishness, broken families, hatred between individuals and nations, and a great deficit of love, joy and hope. On the other hand, wherever individuals and nations accept God’s presence, worship Him in truth and listen to His voice, then the civilization of love is being built; a civilization in which the dignity of all is respected, and communion increases, with all its benefits. The dignity of man rests above all on the fact that he is called to communion with God (Gaudium et Spes 19§I). Yet some Christians allow themselves to be seduced by secularism or attracted by religious currents that draw them away from faith in Jesus Christ. There are others who, while not yielding to these enticements, have simply allowed their faith to grow cold, with inevitable negative effects on their moral lives. In order to be firm in faith, the pope says that we have to learn to “see” and to “meet” Jesus in the Eucharist, where He is present and close to us. He even becomes the food for our journey. In the Sacrament of Penance, the Lord reveals His mercy and always grants us His forgiveness. Recognize and serve Jesus in the poor, the sick, and in our brothers and sisters who are in difficulty and in need of help. Enter into a personal dialogue with Jesus Christ and cultivate it in faith. Get to know Him better by reading the Gospels and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Converse with Him in prayer, and place your trust in Him. He will never betray that trust!

By looking back at the history of the Church, the saints and the martyrs have always drawn from the glorious Cross of Christ the strength to be faithful to God even to the point of offering their own lives. In faith they found the strength to overcome their weaknesses and to prevail over every adversity. The victory born of faith is that of love. There have been, and still are, many Christians who are living witnesses of the power of faith that is expressed in charity.

As we celebrate Catechetical Sunday this year, let us, as catechists and Christians, be the salt and the light of the world because Christ is not meant for us alone. He is the most precious treasure we have; one that is meant to be shared with others. In this age of globalization, let us be witnesses of Christian hope to all families and to all peoples all over the world. The Pope says, “There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel, by the encounter with Christ. There is nothing more beautiful than to know Him and to speak to others of our friendship with Him” (Mass, Imposition of the Pallium and Conferral of the Fisherman’s Ring for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome, 24th April 2005). This hope comes from that encounter and friendship with Him. There are many people longing to receive this hope!

In the same way, the Pope says to the young people, “if you believe, and if you are able to live out your faith and bear witness to it every day, you will become the means of helping other young people like yourselves to find meaning and joy of life, which is born of an encounter with Christ!” So let us celebrate this Catechetical Sunday meaningfully by going back to the root of our faith that is Jesus Christ our Lord.

PRACTICAL ACTIVITY PROPOSALS IN CONJUNCTION TO THE
CATECHETICAL SUNDAY 2011

1. Organize “Lectio Divina” workshop at the level of BEC/KUK/zone/parish.

2. For upper secondary school students: Organize 7 steps Bible Study or write a reflection on (Mat 4:1-11)

3. For lower secondary school students: Organize 7 steps Bible Study on (Luke 19: 1-10)

4. For primary school students:

• Organize Bible reading competition for primary 4-6 students

• Organize drawing or coloring the picture of Jesus with children competition for children under the age of 10 years old

5. Organize commitment renewal session for catechists during Mass and recognize their contribution by giving them certificate of appreciation for their hard work.

6. Reflect and deepen their faith in Jesus Christ by studying the Catechism of the Catholic Church chapter 2, no 422-682

7. Organize “You Tube”/short clips competition based on the Word of God that inspires their personal and family lives.

8. Organize any program that is suitable to the capability and creativity of each parish


By,

Rev. Fr. Nicholas Stephen
St. John’s Church Tuaran, Sabah.
Spiritual Advisor,
Archdiocesan Catechetical Commission
Kota Kinabalu Archdiocese