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Preach at all times and if necessary use words
Fr Chris Thomas from the Emmaus Family of Prayer reflects on the importance of the Christian lifestyle as a way of witnessing to the gospel.
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I met a lady there called Mary who had left school at 14 without qualifications and worked in Tate and Lyle until her retirement. Mary was known as ‘Aunty’ to many people in the area. She was always there with a listening ear, an open door and would help whoever and in whatever way she could. Sick people, unemployed people, people with severe financial difficulties all benefited from Mary’s kindness. It’s what I’m here for. Whatever she had she shared with others. I remember one day asking her why she did it and her response was simple: “It’s what I’m here for.” Mary died at the age of 85 and the church was full with people, one seemingly insignificant old lady whose life had made a huge difference to people. In many senses for me she was a visible witness to Gospel values. Whenever I think of Mary I find myself led to the Acts of the Apostles where the proclamation of the Gospel took place through word and deed. There are many stories of the apostles preaching and thousands being converted. We read of miracles that touched people and drew people to the Lord. Thank God many of us have experienced powerful preaching and seen God do incredible things in people’s lives. We’ve had our faith built up and have been challenged to put the Lord first in our lives. They lived in a way no-one had ever lived before There is however another spoke to the wheel. We also read of the way in which the community shared their lives with one another. Their lifestyle was a powerful witness to the Gospel. They lived in a way that no-one had ever lived before because of the power of the Spirit in their lives. We’re told that they were faithful to the teaching of the Apostles, to prayer and to the breaking of the bread. They held everything in common. Those who were in need had those needs met. No-one hoarded selfishly while others were in need. I find that incredibly challenging. If you and I are open to the Spirit then maybe we should regard little as our own but see everything as being for the common good. That challenges the way in which we spend our money and our time. It invites us to reflect on what we think about Education and the Health Service. It challenges us to use our vote for the good of everyone and not just because it’s good for us. It challenges our attitudes to migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers and asks us again to hear the call to love our brothers and sisters. The way we live our lives is vital in proclaiming the Gospel. It’s possibly the only way that many will ever see God. I think that’s why St Francis of Assisi said “preach at all times and if necessary use words. Creating a society of sharing solidarity and love The presence of the Spirit in our lives is not for some cosy feel good glow. It can and should lead to a radically alternative way of living in the world today. When he closed the Holy Year in 1975 Paul VI said that the work of the Church was to create a society of sharing solidarity and love. The Acts of the Apostles can help us reflect on that. The early Church lived in the power of the Spirit, power
to proclaim, power to heal and power to live communal lives. Don’t
let’s get so caught up with the power to heal and the power to
preach that we forget that the way in which we live can and does proclaim
the Gospel.
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I
was ordained deacon twenty three years ago and my pastoral appointment
was to a part of Liverpool called Vauxhall. It was an area where the
heart had been torn out as the city council knocked down tenement blocks
and flats and broke the community up sending families and individuals
to parts of the city that they had never known before. Those who were
left were usually the poor and disadvantaged although there were also
some very strong people who refused to leave the area and who campaigned
and eventually won the right to stay and build new housing.