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... From the Goodnews archives, July/August 2004

Hope in the midst of Apostacy   Pat Collins C.M. a lecturer and retreat giver at All Hallows in Dublin, looks at the situation of the Church in Western Europe and calls on us to be people of hope

A few years ago it began to dawn upon me that we were living in a time of mass apostasy. In Western Europe, including Britain and Ireland, millions of baptized people are abandoning Christian beliefs and practices. The evidence is pretty obvious. Only a small minority attend church on a regular basis; Christian ethics, especially where human sexuality and business are concerned, are largely ignored. Seminaries are emptying and religious orders are dying. As a regular visitor to book shops I have noticed that the sections devoted to specifically Christian literature are shrinking, while those devoted to self-help and New Age books are growing. Nowadays it is not uncommon to hear public figures saying that we are living in a post-Catholic, post-Christian era. The media in a number of countries either ignore Christian subjects or repeatedly engage in disparaging comments that dismiss Christianity as an outdated anachronism. It is significant that the proposed new European constitution contains no reference to God. John Paul on Apostasy in Europe I was interested to see that Pope John Paul II, fears that apostasy on a grand scale is occurring. In a letter called, The Church in Europe (2003), he says: “I would like to mention in a particular way the loss of Europe’s Christian memory and heritage, accompanied by a kind of practical agnosticism and religious indifference whereby many Europeans give the impression of living without spiritual roots and somewhat like heirs who have squandered a patrimony entrusted to them by history” (par. 7). A little later he goes on to say: “At the root of this loss of hope is an attempt to promote a vision of man apart from God and apart from Christ. This sort of thinking has led to man being considered as “the absolute centre of reality, a view which makes him occupy – falsely – the place of God and which forgets that it is not man who creates God, but rather God who creates man. …. European culture gives the impression of “silent apostasy” on the part of people who have all that they need and who live as if God does not exist” (par. 9). In par. 90 of Faith and Reason (1999) John Paul spoke about some of the likely consequences of this unbelief: “it in turn makes it possible to erase from the countenance of men and women the marks of their likeness to God and thus leads them little by little either to a destructive will to power or to a solitude without hope.” The destructive will to power, mentioned by John Paul II, is evident in what he refers to as “the culture of death.” It finds expression in evils such as abortion, euthanasia and modern warfare. In a sermon delivered on Dec 11th 2002 John Paul said that when people abandon God they are plunged into “existential solitude.” The Pope went on to say: “Perhaps this solitude is the profound source of all the dissatisfaction we also perceive in our day? So much insecurity, so many thoughtless reactions originate in our having abandoned God, the rock of our salvation.” Apostolic Apostasy Christians are familiar with the fact that apostasy is not new. Although Peter and the apostles professed to love Jesus and pledged to follow him no matter what the cost, in actual fact they betrayed, denied and deserted him. To forsake their Master in the way they did was a form of apostasy. However, I was surprised to find that there is another account of apostasy in a post resurrection episode in John’s gospel. We read: “Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing” Jn 21:2-3. To appreciate what is involved here we need to remember that Peter and the apostles had accompanied Jesus throughout his public ministry. He had also appeared to them following his death and resurrection. We are told that: “he breathed on them and said, receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven” Jn 20:22-23. In spite of all this, Peter and his companions returned to their old way of life. In his authoritative commentary on John’s gospel, John Marsh surmises that: “It may well have appeared that now the Passover time was over, and Jesus dead, even though he had appeared to them in Jerusalem, the only thing left now that they were back in Galilee was to resume their normal tasks.” Marsh adds: “It is precisely in doing a ‘secular’ job, even at a time of desertion and apostasy, that the glorified Lord will make himself known.” What is so reassuring about John’s account of this incident is the fact that, rather than rejecting them, or engaging in angry recrimination, Jesus responded to Peter and the apostles in a gentle and helpful way. He told them where to cast their net, invited them to share breakfast with him, and went on to commission Peter to feed his sheep. In other words, Jesus not only appeared to the apostles in the midst of their second apostasy, he authorized and empowered them to be faithful fishers of men by means of evangelisation. It was as if Jesus were saying to them, that they should learn from their apostasies; God’s power would be made perfect in the very weakness that was evident in their infidelity. They would be effective in their mission as long as they relied on Him, rather than themselves. Hope for the Future Many contemporary Europeans may have turned their backs on God, but God’s back will not be turned on them. God will not punish them. But they will be allowed to suffer the inevitable consequences of alienation from God, such as a time of desolation of spirit and inner turmoil, which may also find expression in social upheaval and even violence. God will use these inner and outer tribulations to bring about mature disillusionment and purification. They will lead many people to be secretly, if not openly, receptive to divine revelation. Then, Jesus will unexpectedly manifest himself to the people of Europe, as he did to the apostles, while calling and empowering them to be his faithful disciples. In the meantime, those of us, who by the grace of God continue to acknowledge God’s sovereignty in our lives, can do a number of constructive things. Firstly, we should grieve for people’s forgetfulness of God. We can listen to these plaintiff words: “The Lord has a case against his people; he is lodging a charge against Israel (Europe). “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me” Mic 6:2-3. Secondly, this sense of mourning can find positive expression in fervent prayers of intercession, that we will be granted the grace of revival as a result of European people responding to words like these: “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near” Is 55:6. Thirdly, we can create informal Christian networks, while offering one another mutual support, encouragement and good example. Fourthly, we need to continue to explore new ways of evangelising, or re-evangelising those who have forgotten God. Fifthly, we can pray, in this age of apostasy, that we ourselves will be granted the grace of uncompromising fidelity and final perseverance. PENTECOST VIGIL with the Pope 29th May 2004 Pope John Paul II spoke in a special way to Charismatic Renewal worldwide and the ecclesial movements in general saying: “The ecclesial movements and the new communities are a “providential answer”. “inspired by the Holy Spirit” given the present need of new evangelisation, for which “mature Christian personalities” and “strong Christian communities” are needed. For this reason I say to you: “Open yourselves with docility to the gifts of the Holy Spirit! Receive with gratitude and obedience the charisms that the Spirit does not cease to offer! Do not forget that all charisms are given for the common good, that is, for the benefit of the whole Church!” Veni, Sancte Spiritus     << Top   Home >>