The Social Mission of the Church Evangelization

UNIT II LESSON 1
---CHURCH--- § Heart of what it really means to be a Christian.
§ The forerunner of truth and justice. § Evangelium means Good News; and the Good News is
§ Main mission of the Church: to be an instrument or about CHRIST’S SALVATION.
systematic procedure to denounce injustice and to o If we believe that Jesus and His Salvation are
proclaim justice. really Good News, then it is really meant to be
o Justice (katarungan) shared.
- giving what is rightfully due to the person § Nature of being a Church: Evangelizers; but we really
and it does not come with retribution. have to be convinced that Christ/Salvation are the Good
- should be fair, but not in the expense of News.
violating human rights. o Church cannot play deaf to the great problems of
§ Should be a proponent of understanding, mercy, and the world.
deeds. o Because of technological advancement and social
o Understanding (pag-unawa) media, there’s this thing we now call as the
- The Church should understand the context Eclipse of God— wherein God has somewhat
of each human being. In terms of religious become irrelevant at some point in our lives
pluralism, that there should be unity in because of how preoccupied we are.
diversity. o Part of our evangelizing mission is to teach and
- It isn’t close-minded. spread the Social Doctrine of the Church/Good
o Mercy (awa) News of the World.
- Has something to do with empathy, not only
sympathy
- Mercy is somehow connected to sympathy, Core of the Church’s social mission:
but sympathy is more of just feelings. You to save man in his totality.
don’t act on it
TOTALITY: SPIRITUAL + TEMPORAL
• Ex: seeing a beggar roaming in the

streets (you feel pity, but you don’t do
§ Spiritual aspect of man:
anything about it).
- To save him from eternal damnation/sin.
- Empathy: putting yourself in the shoes of
§ Temporal aspect of man:
another person.
- Temporal meaning the mind/physiological body.
• Ex: Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
- Clothing, food, shelter etc.
- Considered a living saint.
o Corporal Works of Mercy
- Unlike others, she instantly became
- Ex: feed the hungry, give water to the
a saint.
thirsty, shelter the homeless, clothe
- An Albanian, but she went to India
the naked, visit the prisoners/sick,
for mission. Instead of living in the
bury the dead.
confinement of her convent, she
o Spiritual Works of Mercy
went out and slept with the poor in
- Comfort the afflicted, council the
the slums.
doubtful, pray for the living and the
- “Sister of the gutters” – literally she
dead, admonish the sinners
was sleeping with the informal
§ Even in the simplest things, we can already experience
settlers; and from there she
understood what and how to be poor. salvation – Saving man in his totality; both spiritual and
o Deed (gawa) temporal needs.
- Faith is not only about head knowledge na
memorize mo lahat (10 commandments “Nandoon ang kaharian ng Diyos at naandoon ang
etc.) and it’s also not only about attending kaligtasan kapag ang mesa ay mayroong pagkain.
Mass. It’s about putting it into action. Kapag kumakalam ang sikmura ng isang tao at siya’y
- This is wherein we become living nabibigyan ng pagkain, nandoon ang kaligtasan sa
testimonies of Christ wherein other people kanya. Kapag ikaw ay nauuhaw at nabibigyan ng tubig,
can see Him in us. nandoon ang kaligtasan sa iyo. Kapag ikaw ay umiiyak
o We can evangelize by just merely at kailangan mo ng karamay at andoon ang kaibigan mo
sitting and being with our seatmate. sa tabi mo, andun ang kaligtasan sa iyo”
We can be like Christ by how we
relate with other people. - Dr. Aguas; Ma’am’s THY professor in Ateneo.
 - o Respect SHOULD BE earned.
Social Mission of the Church o The marginalized/the weak are victims of
1. The Church aims to correctly form the people’s discrimination. Currently, they are
conscience. considered as people who are in the
§ It is through our conscience that we act. periphery (mahihirap).
§ Ex: Erroneous, Scrupulous etc. o During the time of Christ, it wasn’t only
2. The Church offers values and principles that must the poor who are in the periphery, but
be respected in a humane society. also women, children, and the sick.
3. The Church examines the signs of times and - if you are sick, you are considered
interprets them in the light of the Gospel and to be sinful. It was also considered
makes moral judgments on economic and social by people as a punishment from
matters God.
§ Signs of Times: § Discrimination and neglect are obstacles to
o These are the things that happen around the full development of persons and of
us whether cultural, political, social, society as a whole.
economic etc. o Full development: it goes with the
o First coined in the encyclical Gaudium et decency of life that all the things that
Spes (The Joys and Hopes). – 2nd Vatican the person needs are to be
Council (1962) addressed.
o We look at the SOT and we reflect on o Corporal works/Spiritual works.
them. After reflecting, we try to interpret § Everyone has a role and needs to have the
the event in light of the Gospel. opportunity to improve themselves so that
Afterwards, we then integrate the Gospel they can take their place in society and
values/teachings to what’s happening. participate fully in the community they find
Lastly, we then have to put it into action. themselves in.
- Ex: EJK— “Thou shall not kill.” § This aspiration can only be achieved through
- Be sure to do concrete things to the recognition of people’s capacities,
promote life to stop this event potentials, and rights as well as in ensuring
from happening. that the structures in the communities and
4. She condemns abuses, injustices and attacks in society as a whole support this goal.
against freedom. o Encyclical of Mater et Magistra: the
5. She struggles for the defense and advancement human person should be the the
of the rights of mankind, esp. of the poor and the foundation, the cause, and the goal of
oppressed all social constitutions.
§ 75% of our population is under the poverty line. 2. As Agent of Hope and Transformation
§ One of the richest in the PH: Villars § It is through baptism that members of the
- He used his position as a senator to claim Christian community “are called to a
the lands of ordinary Filipino farmers. holiness of life in the world befitting disciples
- Land of farmers Camella Homes. of Jesus.”
- He also proposed a bill which permits the o Everyone is called to discipleship
PH to import rice from other countries through the sacrament of baptism.
which led to the continuous decline of the o Matthew 28:18-20 – the call of Jesus
price of rice of our farmers. (1 sack of rice to His Apostles.
from farmers: 7 PHP) - “Go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and od the
The Church and the Questions of ‘Just
Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Relations’ among People - It entails us to TAKE ACTION. He
demanded His disciples to go
1. Respect versus Discrimination and spread the Good News.
§ The Church in the Philippines is expected to be § “Discipleship is the fundamental vocation in
the advocate of impartiality that shuns any form which the Church's mission and ministry find
of discrimination, conflict and political animosity. full meaning.”
§ The Church is also called to promote respect for o Disciples of Christ: Followers of Christ.
races, genders, religions and point of views so o Virtues of humility & obedience
that national unity and healing are attainable.
 - If the person has no humility, he - no one is to be forced to act in a
or she will have no sense of manner contrary to his own beliefs.
following. - Not to be restrained from acting in
§ As disciples of Jesus, we are called into accordance with his own beliefs,
communion with both God and others and whether privately or publicly, whether
are sent in mission to proclaim the Good alone or in association with others,
News of the Kingdom. within due limits.
o Having communion and personal v Commonality among the 3
relationship with God provisions: It should be without
o Functional vs. Personal coercion.
Relationship. § The right to religious freedom has its
- Ex: Relationship w/ parents. foundation in the very dignity of the human
- Functional: Following our person, as this dignity is known through the
parents only because we’re revealed word of God and by reason itself.”
scared of being punished. 5. Fidelity to Proclaim the Kingdom of God
- Personal: If we treat them as § The Church, endowed with the gifts of her
our friend and confidant, we founder and faithfully observing his precepts
voluntarily follow and do of charity, humility and self-denial, received
work. the mission of proclaiming and establishing
- Same goes with God, hindi among all peoples the Kingdom of Christ and
dapat siya obligation kung of God, and she is, on earth, the seed and the
hindi ay expression of love. beginning of that Kingdom.”
§ As disciples, all members of the Church - After Jesus died and resurrected, He
should everywhere on earth bear witness to brought with Him His spirit in the
Christ and give an answer to everyone who Pentecost Event.
asks a reason for hope. § The Church’s mission is the same as it was
3. The Fact of Religious Pluralism yesterday, today, and tomorrow: to
§ The Church recognizes and defends the evangelize the whole world. “It is the duty of
fundamental dignity of man to be free from the Church, therefore, in her preaching to
coercion in matters religious. proclaim the Cross of Christ as the sign of
o Religious pluralism- freedom to God’s universal love and the source of all
choose one’s religion; the right to go grace.
against God. We are not forced to
love/believe in God. Kingdom of God
- We are not to proselytize § Paradoxical quality of the KOG: it is here with us in the
(convert) others to our here and now, but at the same time, it is not here.
religion. We are only - It is already being established by the HS and by
invited to have a dialogue the people around us, but at the same time it is
with them; respect others. still not complete. It will only be completed until
- Agnostics: acknowledge we go to heaven and be with God.
the presence of God, but - Like Our Father: “thy Kingdom, thy will be done
they don’t believe it. on earth as it is in heaven” – we bring the KOG in
§ “All men are called in freedom to Jesus Christ the here and now.
and to his Church, which has a divine § It can be tangible and at the same time intangible.
mission…to evangelize the whole world… so o Tangible: people who make up the Church.
that at the name of Jesus every knee should o Intangible: HS?? Di ko narinig m sorry guys.
bend…and every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord…” (Phil 2:10–11).
4. Truthful Tolerance
§ Dignitatis Humanae (written by St. John Paul
II) states: “ the human person has a right to
religious freedom. This freedom means that:
- all men are to be immune from
coercion on the part of individuals
or social groups and of any human
power