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Catechesis. The Documents of the Second Vatican Council. IV.
Constitution Gaudium et Spes. 5. (GS, 40-45)
The mission of the Church in the contemporary world
Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:13-16
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?
It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, we will resume our reflection on the Conciliar Constitution Gaudium et Spes (GS) by considering the fourth chapter of the first part, which is dedicated to the Church’s mission in the contemporary world.
First, the Council reminds us that the Church is not “above” or “beside” the world, but rather, is grafted into it.
“Mundus reconciliatus Ecclesia”, (The world is reconciled through the Church) wrote Saint Augustine (Sermon 96): the Church is the world already reconciled with God; we are pilgrims on earth and share in this world’s fragility and beauty (cf. GS, 40).
Just as the Son of God was incarnated to give life to the world and reconcile it with the Father, the Church dwells in the world as a sign of God’s incarnation, manifesting His plan to make us all His children in one great human family.
Therefore, the Church journeys through history alongside peoples and cultures. This involvement helps the Church understand that her mission has a historical scope and entails responsibility for how social relations are formed.
The primary mission of the Church is to encourage people to reflect on life’s profound questions: those concerning our origin and destiny, and the meaning of love and suffering (cf. GS, 41).
The logic of profit at all costs and the manipulation of information risk pressuring people to conform to a lifestyle centered on consuming material goods.
However, our hearts are made to look upward.
The Council Fathers remind us that the Church fulfills its mission by contributing to the construction of the earthly city.
However, her methods and goals are not primarily political.
Rather, they consist of bearing witness to faith and charity, as well as a commitment to justice, peace, and fraternity.
Because the believer worships Christ, the righteous one who died for the unrighteous, they cannot accept the oppression of the weak and poor nor the unjust structures that perpetuate conditions of dependence and injustice.
The social doctrine of the Church guides Christians in their collaboration with people of good will to promote the common good.
Therefore, the Church “has no fiercer desire than to develop itself freely under any kind of government that recognizes the basic rights of individuals and families and the demands of the common good.” (GS, 42).
In order to fulfill the Gospel mission effectively, every baptized person must commit to cooperating with the grace of the Holy Spirit so that their faith is expressed through consistent behavior.
Indeed, as the Council Fathers reiterate, the discrepancy between professed faith and daily life “deserves to be counted among the more serious errors of our age” (GS, 43).
Gaudium et Spes makes special mention of the mission of the lay faithful, who, by virtue of their baptism, are called to bring the Christian spirit and the vision of the Gospel to the world.
This activity, which can be described as priestly, primarily takes place in the family and workplace, but extends to every sphere of life.
Finally, the Church is always attentive to what is happening and developing in society. (cf. GS, 44).
The entire People of God, especially pastors and theologians, must discern which aspects of contemporary culture are worthy of consideration.
They must always take the Word of God and the Tradition of the Church as the supreme criteria for discernment.
Indeed, Christianity cannot be made attractive by watering down the content or softening the demands.
Dear friends,
As the Church journeys through history, its single intention is that God’s kingdom may come and the salvation of the entire human race may be realized. (GS, 45).
Above all, she strives toward this end through personal holiness and fraternal love.
As Saint Paul VI wrote, “Without this mark of holiness, our word will have difficulty touching the hearts of modern men and women.”
It risks being vain and sterile”.
Therefore, let us be open to the action of the Holy Spirit so that He may help us live a holy and charitable life. In this way, the world will believe and have hope.
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Summary of the Holy Father’s words:
Dear brothers and sisters,
This morning, we return to our reflection on Gaudium et Spes, considering the Church’s mission in the contemporary world.
Just as the Son of God became incarnate to fulfill his redemptive mission, the Church dwells in the world as a living sign of God’s plan to reconcile humanity to himself.
Through discerning the signs of the times through the lens of the Gospel, the Church carries out this task by helping people find answers to life’s profound questions and contribute to society through her witness of faith and charity.
In order to be effective in this mission, the Church depends on every baptized person cooperating with the grace of the Holy Spirit and seeking holiness.
The lay faithful, in particular, are called to infuse the culture in which they live with a Christian spirit.
As we strive to build up the Kingdom of God, let us renew our efforts toward personal sanctification, justice, and fraternal love. In doing so, we can be signs of hope for all people.
