Headline - Renewed Christian Communities

Renewed Christian Communities:
Sources of Faith, Hope, and Love at the Grassroots
(Last Part of the Three-Part Series)

FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE AT THE GRASSROOTS.

The sub-title of this short reflection speaks of the BECs as “Sources of Faith, Hope, and Love.” Set in the context of a holistic approach to Christian life and “integral evangelization,” the BECs are most effective in making Faith, Hope, and Love concrete through lived experiences. Faith becomes more than an intellectual assent to doctrines or Church teaching; BECs promote “performative faith” which imitates Christ in all daily activities. Hope is not some distant dream; because of the relationships that BECs build, people are secure in knowing that their neighbors in faith truly care about them. Love is more than an emotion or fleeting feeling; BECs make love incarnate and visible, especially since the BECs are animated by Christ’s love. Caritas Christi urget nos; the love of Christ urges us on (2Cor. 5:14).

Very recently the Church held the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome (October 2008); it was focused on the Word of God. Filipino Archbishop Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, former CBCP President, spoke about the BECs in his intervention. Quevedo noted: “But the Word of God in Asia is calling to the Father in the Holy Spirit thousands of small communities of the poor. And the poor in turn are heeding God’s Word. In so doing they are building a ‘new way of being Church’—really an old way—the way of the early Jerusalem community (see Acts 2:42-47 and 4:32-35). Guided by their ordained pastors and trained lay leaders and collaborators, grassroots people gather every week in chapels and households to celebrate a Service of the Word.”

Archbishop Quevedo continued: “They listen to the Word of God, reflect on the Word, pray over the Word, and discern together how to apply the Word to their daily lives. They receive Jesus in the Eucharist from trained lay extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. For them the Word of God is faith-empowering, urging them to participate actively within the Church and in social transformation. They are Basic Ecclesial Communities, renewing families, parishes and dioceses into vibrant communities, witnessing to the Word of God, quite often in a hostile multi-religious environment. They are communities of solidarity and fellowship at the grassroots….”

The BEC vision that Quevedo presented at the Synod of Bishops in Rome is identical with the goal espoused by most dioceses in the Philippines: Church Renewal through BECs. This mission elicits our complete commitment and active involvement. It envisions a nation—and a Church—renewed, as enunciated by PCP-II in 1991 (PCP-II: CD 253-255):

“This is our vision. That all may have life (mabigyan ng buhay). We shall have to create a free nation: where human dignity and solidarity are respected and promoted; where moral principles prevail in socio-economic life and structures; where justice, love, and solidarity are the inner driving forces of development.

“We shall have to build a sovereign nation: where every tribe and faith are respected; where diverse tongues and traditions work together for the good of all; where membership is a call to participation and involvement and leadership a summons to generous service.

“Ours will have to be a people: in harmony with one another through unity in diversity; in harmony with creation, and in harmony with God. Ours shall be a civilization of life and love.”

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James H. Kroeger, M.M., missioned in Asia (Philippines and Bangladesh) since 1970, serves as professor of systematic theology, missiology, and Islamics at the Jesuit Loyola School of Theology in Manila. His most recently published books are Once Upon a Time in Asia: Stories of Harmony and Peace (2006) and Theology from the Heart of Asia: I-II (2008) [Manila: Claretian Publications].