Who says religion and politics don’t mix?
This week sees the inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the USA - just in case you'd missed the fact. He is of course the first mixed race president, with a diverse almost global heritage. It is also quite striking that his inauguration takes place the day after Martin Luther King Day. There are huge (and one would have to say, almost messianic) expectations being laid on his shoulders from around the world. His inauguration is definitely seen as ‘good news'. His name - ‘Barack' does mean ‘blessed' or ‘blessing' (Swahili/Arabic).
Next week, we really begin to get to grips with Mark's gospel. It is worth taking the time to sit down a read the gospel in its entirety before turning to look at how we experience Mark's gospel in the lectionary - its very short, only sixteen chapters and will probably take less than an hour to read. It has a very direct beginning and a most peculiar ending - which most of us tend to miss. But in reading the gospel as a whole, rather than relying on the weekly snapshots in the lectionary, we get a stronger sense of who Mark is and the situation he was writing in and people he was writing for. As Mark was writing for Christians facing terrible persecution in some ways he offers quite a dark gospel filled with moments of conflict and testing. But from the outset, the gospel makes it clear that Jesus really is good news in the darkest of times.
Bringing these two images of ‘good news' together, leads me to ask how is our faith ‘good news for the whole world'. We can be pretty good at spiritualizing or internalizing the good news bit and of course it does have these dimensions. But its also a good news that demands to be lived and proclaimed in the political arena. We've probably all heard the old argument that religion and politics don't mix - and there are things going on in the world that would seem to support that. However, we can't be Catholic and Christian without being political. If it is a way of life rather than a leisure pursuit then faith and politics have to mix. So how does our faith affect our politics? Our voting in elections? Do we vote in a way which is good news for all or good news for me (and I'm asking myself that question)?
This does raise some questions for our practice as catechists. How do we make the connection between faith and politics? How do we share a faith that is ‘good news' both personally and politically?
If you do find time to sit with Mark's gospel this week, see what you notice and what good news it offers you. And then have a look at the table in the front of the missal which lays out Mark in Ordinary time and notice what is added in from John's gospel and what is left out of Mark's.
And do pray for Barack Obama and his family this week as he becomes the 44th President of the United States of America.
If you forgot to buy your PP a Christmas present
Celebrating Initiation: a guide for priests by Paul Turner does what it says on the cover. As he says in the Introduction:
I have written this book for my brother priests. Deacons may benefit from it because they also preside for many of these rites. Lay ministers may enjoy reading over my shoulder. But I am writing primarily for priests to explain the many rites we need to know, and to help integrate them into the particular work we do as pastors, presiders, and preachers.
The book covers all of Initiation, so not only the rites of the RCIA in detail but also the Rite of Baptism of Children, Confirmation and First Communion. If you have questions about how the rites are celebrated they are probably answered here. This is not, however, a dry collection of rubrics. The purpose of the rite is explained, what needs to be done prior to celebration and then a step by step guide to the rites. Where there are options they are covered and, often, an opinion is offered about what is the author's practice and why. Paul Turner, unsurprisingly for those familiar with his other books, saves his strongest opinions for the 'combined rites' — the provision in the US rites for common rites for the unbaptised and baptised. He is neither convinced that they work or are a good idea from both a theological and liturgical point of view. He does offer a commentary on these rites which is drawn from personal experience.
In some ways this book is a sign of that inability, one sometimes comes across, for those who are responsible for presiding at the rites to take responsibility for their part in the rite — this can mean, as an extreme, not even being aware of the ritual book. Paul Turner provides a good travel guide but you still need to get out the map, and look at the rite, and then actually walk the streets, and celebrate the rite.
One small criticism is that this is not a book for bishops. Given its comprehensive coverage it is a pity that the Rite of Election is not included.
It may be helpful to give an overview of a section to show what is offered. Even if you are one of those who is reading over the author's shoulder. In the sections on the Presentations there is first a historical and theological overview, then a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of celebrating the Presentation during or before Lent and what it means to present something which is already known. There are ideas about how and when to celebrate the liturgies within the life of the parish; comments on the different options for the readings. Turner offers an interesting idea for celebrating the liturgy (which would be on a weekday) of rather than inviting the elect to come forward he suggest inviting the faithful to come onto the sanctuary to recite the creed to the elect who remain in their places. There is a strong comment on the use of printed texts:
The liturgy does not ask you to get a nicely framed parchment of the creed inscribed in calligraphy … Following the ancient tradition, the creed is not something you write down. It is not something you pass from hand to hand. You pass it from mouth to ear, and from heart to heart. It is part of a Christian's being, not an accessory on the wall of one's spiritual life.
Celebrating Initiation is published by World Library Publications which is distributed in the UK by Decani.
Journey to the Baptism
The journey through advent and Christmastide leads to the feast of Jesus’ Baptism and beyond. The journey of our inquirers and candidates, of course, also lead to baptism- to be ritualised and experienced by the former and explored and honoured with the latter. In the scripture readings of the seasons we have heard of many people on the move. For example, in Isaiah we heard messages for the exiles in Babylon, and later we heard some exultation at their return. With Luke we glimpsed Mary’s journeys to Elizabeth and to Bethlehem and with Matthew, the journeying of the wise ones. Each liturgy of the Word has echoed within our experiences and each has given reasons to stop and ponder and maybe given directions for our way ahead.
Perhaps the feast of the Baptism of the Lord may encourage us, with our inquirers and candidates, to look back over this advent/Christmas journey. The journey shared alongside the sometimes-hectic preparations for the diverse celebrations of Christmas.
On the first Sunday of Advent we heard the pleading of Isaiah: “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down…” Is 64:1. On the last day of the Christmas season we hear the words of Mark: “...just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart…” Mk 1:10. The feast of the Baptism of the Lord takes us away from the child of Christmas to the adult at the threshold of ministry. Heaven is torn apart, barriers are removed and God claims the Beloved and is well pleased with him.
At our moment of baptism (which is an ongoing reality now!) the union of heaven and earth becomes real too and each is ‘the beloved’ of God with God’s favour resting on us – what marvels! Jesus told Nicodemus that, ‘unless he be born again of the water and the Spirit, he could not enter into the kingdom of God’ cf John 3:5. The General Introduction to the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults says:
“Baptism, the door to life and to the kingdom of God, is the first sacrament of the new law, which Christ offered to all, that they might have eternal life…. That is why the Church believes that it is its most basic and necessary duty to inspire all… to that true and living faith by which they hold fast to Christ and enter into or confirm their commitment to the New Covenant.” n3
Advent and Christmastide 2008/9 could not be just a routine or familiar journey for us at the start of another year’s liturgical cycle because the covenant is ever new and the Word of God living and active. The presence of those that we accompany on their journey to baptism or to full communion makes the familiar ever fresh. So I ask: what have I as a Christian and as a catechist experienced and learned in this time? What have been the challenges presented by the self-giving God-with-us and needs of people nearby and faraway? Isaiah’s invitation to “come to the water” Is 55:1 seems to challenge me to discern again how I live my baptism now, how to keep on the road of on-going conversion so as to be awake to the disciples of Christ who seek baptism or full communion with us.
Liturgically we arrive at the waters of the Jordan and the verge of public ministry and a return to ‘ordinary time’. Like Mary we have pondered mysteries in our hearts and continue to ‘wonder at all that is said about him.’
On this journey in faith with inquirers and candidates I need frequently to check my bearings along the road. There’s no sure satellite navigation for this journey! Is it the way of Jesus in the gospel: Baptism followed by ‘desert’ time, then announcing the Kingdom of God, going about doing good and proclaiming forgiveness? Can it really be that just by being, each person is the ‘beloved of God, and we can know ourselves to have God’s favour, having God’s Spirit.’ (cf Mk1 Baptism of the Lord)! Isaiah recommends that journey “to the waters…” and to “Seek the Lord…” (Is 55, Baptism of the Lord). If I can be faithful to that journey and recognise when I veer off course perhaps I may be used as some kind of signpost on the roads others follow.