‘Inquisitio et Explicatio ’ (investigation and explanation)

 

It is tempting to strengthen pastoral efficiency by emphasising statistical strategies, tradition or appearance. Visibility's success is short termed: it can undermine our credibility by misinterpreting our true identity. 

Catholic ecclesiology has a pulsating heart that radiates an understanding that projects the ecclesial community as a continued incarnation, affirmed by the Catechism (521):  “Christ enables us to live in him all that he himself lived, and he lives it in us. ‘By his Incarnation, he, the Son of God, has in a certain way united himself with each man’[GS 22 §2]. We are called only to become one with him, for he enables us as members of his Body to share in what he lived for us in his flesh as our model.” 

This comprehension is enriched by “Christ, the one Mediator,” who “established and continually sustains here on earth His holy Church, the community of faith, hope and charity, as an entity with visible delineation through which He communicated truth and grace to all ” (LG I §8). 

Like David, we are tempted to consolidate our visibility and hamper God's presence (2 Samuel 24,1-25). Narcissism increasingly imposes its presence and we are not immune: perhaps afraid of irrelevancy, vanity steers our modus operandi. This does not mean that Christ and what he stands for is rejected by those seeking to understand. 

Distinguishing between the two, Christ and our actions, helps us to focus on both: whether or not our understanding corresponds to the teachings we proclaim. We often think we understand: factually, we sometimes impose our own vision of what the church ought to be, wrapped in ideologies or expectations that do not necessarily enhance Christ's presence.  

The ecclesial community should offer us an opportunity to strip ourselves of our misconceptions and presumptions: to free us from illusions and focus on Christ. Although at times distressed by what we see, like David, we pray: “let me fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands” (2 Samuel 24,14).


Martin 




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