OUR VIBRANT CHURCH - PENTECOST NOVENA SERMON 2021 (Day 7)

Notes taken from sermon by Rev Fr Christopher Soh, SJ

Day 7 of Pentecost Novena 2021 (SACCRE)

- OUR VIBRANT CHURCH

 

 

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE VIBRANT?

Dictionary definition:  To be pulsating with life, vigour, activity, buzzing with life....

 

WHAT DOES VIBRANCY LOOK LIKE IN CHURCH?

Contrast between two kinds of vibrancy - Worldy vibrancy vs Godly vibrancy.

• The beginnings of Godly vibrancy lie in humble recognition of one's own need for mercy.

 

 

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES SHOWING THE TWO TYPES OF VIBRANCY

 

 

THE RESULT/END OF WORLDLY AND GODLY VIBRANCY

 

Using the scripture passage in Mat 7:24-27 (the house built on sand in contrast with the house build on stone), Fr contrasted the different end between the two types of vibrancy

• Worldly vibrancy brings us to a certain destiny/bears fruit in a certain way:
  
• very often in restlessness and fatigue
• Rigidity and brittleness, easily broken
  
• Disunity, disintegration and collapse

• Those who walk the way of Godly vibrancy are brought to a certain end, they bear a certain fruit and the result they reap are sustainable:
  

• they experience calm even in great storm
• resilience and flexibility even when under pressure and great stress
• they receive the gift of integrity and harmony
  

THE VIBRANCY OF THE CHURCH

The vibrancy of the church is not just about buzz and business, it needs to have a certain beginning, a certain middle and a certain end:

• It begins with a humble disposition, a recognition of one's own need for God's mercy
• and in that recognition and gratitude for the mercy received, it then moves on to the preoccupation of sharing that mercy with those in need and as a result our lives are built on rock, the church is built on rock, sustainable and not collapsing.
  

HOW DO WE MAKE OUR CHURCH VIBRANT?

 

Luke 7:18-23 -

And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many that were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is he who takes no offense at me.”

 

Concern, conversation, contemplate and confidence

This is what we find in this conversation between John the Baptist and Jesus through the two disciples

To help our church become more vibrant, we need ask ourselves:

• How do we cultivate greater concern for the lords coming?
• How do we engage in deeper spiritual conversations?
• How do we better contemplate the Lord's presence and actions among us?
• How do we persevere doing the Lords will in confidence?
• Who are the blind, the lame, the lepers, the poor, the dead among us?
• How is the Lord calling us to live as he lived so that we become a truly vibrant church today.