“God says, ‘Good news! I have seen the suffering of my people and I am going to do something about it. I am going to lead them to a blessed and grace-filled place. Even better news, I am going to use you, Moses. You are my favored instrument and chosen leader.’”
I think I’m like Moses and most of us feeling overwhelmed by the world environment. There is so much disrespect, hateful messages and misinformation. As a Catholic Christian pastor, I’m troubled by the distortion of the Gospel by many prominent, and not so prominent, Christian leaders.
Like Moses and all created by God, we need to understand our purpose in life. My role is to preach the Good News as truth. I preach, not through the lens of politics or ideology…but through the lens of the Gospel. This can be upsetting to those more anchored through political or ideological influences. Frankly, in the world today, it can be daunting for many Catholic preachers.
It’s reassuring the authors say, “Your life is not your project alone. It is God’s project as well.” The reflection questions ask:
What problems in the world bother you that you would like to solve?
Have you ever made excuses for not addressing issues you care deeply about? What are they?
What intimidates you about God calling you to serve?
I may have answered the questions from my perspective. Like Michael White, I’m worried about the perceived relevance of the Church today. I think my hesitancy to confront the ambivalence and irrelevance is rooted in “don’t rock the boat.” Guess what? That’s not helping. That’s one of the compelling reasons to develop Spirit Alive. We must grow deeper and wider. The church must be relevant through the lens of the Gospel.