OUR MISSIONARY CHURCH - PENTECOST NOVENA SERMON 2021 (Day 9)

 

Notes taken from sermon by Rev Fr Michael Arro MEP

Day 9 of Pentecost Novena 2021 (SACCRE)

- OUR MISSIONARY CHURCH

 

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY A MISSIONARY CHURCH?

The missionary church is the church established by Jesus Christ and the road map was given by Jesus himself on the day he left this world, ie the day of the Ascension.

 

ABOUT THE ASCENSION

• Many see Ascension as is the day when Jesus goes back to heaven, and he prepares a place for us in heaven.

• But Ascension is also about what kind of church Jesus intends to leave behind.  What does he want the apostles to focus on? 

 

Acts 1:4-5     And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 

• There are the 11 apostles on the day of the Ascension, the last time they will be with Jesus and he speaks to them first about what is going to take place immediately.  
•  Jesus is leaving the world and the tells them to wait - to not do anything but to to wait for the coming of the Holy spirit. 

 

Acts 1:6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

• The 11 pose a last question as written in Scripture:  "Lord will you at this time give back the kingdom to Isreal?"
• The disciples are expecting a political powerful leader who is going to free them from the oppressive powers.  They have not yet understood who is Jesus.  
• Jesus tell them no, leave that for later, it is not for you to know.  
•  He calls them to trust the father. 
  

 

Acts 1:8    But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

• Jesus assures them that they will be filled with the Spirit and they are to be his witnesses.
  
• In Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria and to end of the world.

 

 

THE MISSION GIVEN BY JESUS

• What Jesus wants:  a church which stands for him and is ever to share with the world what Jesus has come into the world for.  
• And that will be possible though the power of the Spirit. 
• Jesus says don't be in a hurry, the Holy Spirit will come. 

 

 

WHO IS THE SPIRIT?

• The one who will come and give the power to put across who is Jesus Christ and who are we.    
• The Spirit is here to make the church an outgoing church. 
• The temptation of the 11 is to make the church/the community an inward looking community (like the disciples concerned with the restoration of Israel.  But Jesus told them that is not their concern, they are to go out to Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria and to the ends of the world to bring about the Kingdom of God.)

 

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

• The kingdom means God is in love with each and every one, and with the world itself
• We are loved by God and we are sent to bring love between people, to bring love by extending service, forgiveness and compassion. 
• This is the way we are going to be his witnesses, that God loves us in an extravagant way.  
• People around us are given to us by the father and others are our brother and sisters.  One in love, we are to serve and accept and forgive.

 

IS THE CHURCH IN SINGAPORE SHARING THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST?

• We are a well established church, we are given a figure of 360,000 Catholics.  230,000 Singaporeans.  
• But compared to the 6m population in Singapore, this number is small.
• Many are waiting for God our father, seeking for a life of love and unity.  
• Are we in Singapore, an outgoing church or are we a church which is trying to strengthen itself, trying to give itself all the tolls needed but is inward looking.
• As a Catholic, am i reaching out and sharing the good news?

 

WHERE DO WE NEED TO BE MORE MISSIONARY IN SINGAPORE

(1)    Greater focus on the young.

(2)    Greater focus on the Mandarin speaking.

 

 

THE SAME MISSION THEN AND NOW

(1) It is the same mission that Jesus has given to the 11 and to us.

(2)  We need the Holy Spirit.  Fr Arro invites us to pray every morning "Lord fill me with your spirit today."
 

(3)  Filled with the Spirit, we are to each out and touch the lives of the people by the way we live, people will be converted, will come to know Christ not by what we say but by the way we live.

- END -