MISSIONARY CALL AND ENGAGEMENT
Corinthians 1:10).
Our differences may be the cause of our
hostility or dislike towards one another.
Differences should not separate us from
one another because ultimately, we are all
human beings with the same dignity.
Equality in Faith (Galatians 3:26-29)
26 For through faith you are all children of
God in Christ Jesus
27 For all of you who were baptized into
Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is
neither slave nor free person, there is not
male and female; for you are all one in Christ
Jesus.
29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are
Abraham’s descendant, heirs according to the
promise.
Distinction between Gentile and Jew,
women and men, slave and free men.
Gentile, the woman and the slave are at the
receiving end of oppression within society.
Everybody is equal because we have been
given the same Spirit and we are all sons and
daughters of God. Because of this basic
equality, our differences cannot be the source
of division and discrimination.
Rather, these should enrich the community
because of the variety of talents and charisms
that flow from such differences.
The differences in function in the Church
do not do away with the basic equality among
the members.
The fact, beauty and challenges of
difference: Paul’s “Unity in Diversity”
At the beginning of one of his earliest
letters, Saint Paul already began to stress the
need for unity in the church. He urged: “I
appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you
be in agreement and that there be no
divisions among you, but that you are united
in the same mind and the same purpose” (1
Saint Paul also encourages the people of
Ephesus to make “every effort to maintain the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”
(Ephesians 4:3).
He tells the people of Philippi to stand
“firm in one spirit, striving side by side with
one mind for the faith of the gospel”
(Philippians 1:27).
Saint Paul uses the great analogy of the
body to describe the unity that should
characterize the Church. Though we are
many, we “are one body in Christ, and
individually we are members of one another”
(Romans 12:5).
This unity does not mean that we are all
the same, instead, “as in one body we have
many members, and not all the members have
the same function, so we, who are many, are
one body” (Romans 12:4-5).
In baptism we become “members of the
household of God” (Ephesians 2:19).
We are joined together and grow “into a holy
temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:21).
By sharing in the same baptism and
believing that there is “one Lord, one faith,
one baptism, one God and Father of all” then
our unity is assured (Ephesians 4:5-6).
By holding firm to the Faith we have
received we build up the Church in love (cf
Ephesians 4:16).
This unity of faith and baptism binds us
together so strongly that “there is no longer
Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free,
there is no longer male and female”
(Galatians 3:28).
Nature and Principles of Dialogue of Life
One of the aspects of the renewed Church
with a renewed mission that the Second
Plenary Council of the Philippines envisioned
is a Church that enters into dialogue with
other religions and cultures, a “dialogue of
life”.
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 The Southern Mindanao peace and justice NATURE AND MISSION OF THE CHURCH
issue between Muslims and Christians cannot In the New Testament
be resolved by force, but perhaps by way of
continuous dialogue of life with them.  DISCIPLESHIP makes a group of people
a CHURCH!
The Second Plenary Council of the
 This COMMUNITY OF JESUS’ DISCIPLES
Philippines exhorts the Church: “We in the
believe that in Jesus,
Church must be the first to start undoing past
o the Kingdom of God has come;
effects of our mutual grievances.”
o people experience total well-
For whatever is true and holy in non- being or salvation
Christian cultures and religions is accepted
Dimensions of being a Church in the New
by the Catholic Church since it “often
Testament
reflect[s] a ray of that truth which enlightens
a. a strong sense of fellowship
all men.”
b. nourished by the Word of God
c. celebrate communion with God and with
Filipino Catholics, therefore, should one another through prayer and
“acknowledge, preserve and encourage the the celebration of the sacraments
spiritual and moral truths found among non-
d. plurality of ministries
Christians, also their social life and culture.”
e. continue Jesus’ mission of proclaiming
The Second Plenary Council of the
God’s Kingdom
Philippines provides guidelines for this inter-
religious dialogue.
PLURALITY OF MINISTRIES (WESTY)
It must be based firmly on the fact that
salvation in Jesus Christ is offered to all, and  Worship (lector, commentator, choir,
that the Church is the ordinary means of knights of the altar, ushers, lay
salvation since she possesses the fullness of ministers, etc.)
the means to salvation.  Education (catechism, religious
education, PREX, pre-sacramental
This makes possible “openness in
catechesis. etc.)
understanding the religious convictions of
 Social Services (health care, alay
others. [For] ‘dialogue based on hope and
kapwa, relief operations, etc.)
love will bear fruit in the Spirit’” (Catechism
 Temporalities (fund-raising, income
for Filipino Catholics 75).
generating activities, etc.)
 Youth (PYM, PYO, IYM, etc.)
As missionaries, we can engage in a dialogue
of life by:
Scriptural Images of the Church
1. Not making fun of the beliefs and St. Paul
practices of another who is different
 from a persecutor to a great missionary
from us in terms of religion, culture and
to the gentiles; “second founder” of
upbringing;
Christianity
2. Showing an accepting attitude towards
 established Churches in the gentile
those who are different from us;
world and wrote letters to them: oldest
3. Being open to ideas and perspectives
sources on how the early Christians identified
different from ours; and
themselves
4. Joining ecumenical activities for the
good of the community.
1. People of God

2
  Jewish belief: in the Exodus
experience, God made them into a
people, into a nation in which God
reigns (Heb. Israel), and into an
assembly of God (Heb. “Kahal Yahweh;
Gk. Ekklesia)
 Early Christian belief: their faith in
Jesus made them a “true Israel”, “true
seed of Abraham”, “true
circumcision”
2. Temple of the Spirit
 Jewish belief: God dwells in the
Temple
 Early Christian belief: the Christian
community is a living temple
where God dwells
o Every Christian is a temple of
the Holy Spirit.
o There has to be equality in
the community.
o The Spirit manifests itself in
the different talents and
charisms of the members of
the community.
3. Body of Christ
“Body” is a Greek political image
referring to a group of persons having
common political ideals and following a
particular political figure.
St. Paul used this image to highlight the
unique relationship of the Church to
Christ, and the unique relationship among
the members of the Church.
SOME CHALLENGES POSED BY THE
SCRIPTURAL IMAGES
1. From an Exclusive to a more Inclusive
Church
 we cannot make the Church private and
exclusive
 it is God who makes us a people, no
group or individual has the privilege to
determine who has the right to be part
of the Church or not
 We cannot exclude others for any
reason
2. From Clericalization to Community
Participation
 clericalization - considering the growth
of the Church as the sole responsibility
of the ordained ministry or the Church
leadership
 all members and leaders have the same
dignity but different only in function
and role
 the laity should contribute their talents
for the growth of the Church
3. From Sacralization to a More Historical
Perspective
 Sacralization - thinking that the Church
is unaffected by what happens in
society
 the Church transforms society and yet it
is also affected by what happens in
society
 that Church leaders and members must
“read the signs of the times” … and
make the right decisions guided by the
gospel message
4. From an Idealized Picture to More
Realistic Assessment of the Church
 Idealized Picture - thinking that there
had been no problem in the early
Church, and in the Church today
 the Church is a community of saints and
sinners
 there are difficulties the Church is
facing today … we can do something to
improve the situation
TWO VISIONS OF THE CHURCH
THROUGHOUT HISTORY
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1. Salvation-Historical -the Church is a result
of God’s presence and action in history,
manifested in a unique way in Jesus of
Nazareth; hence, a sacrament
2. Hierarchical Institution - the Church
needs authority structures, rules and
regulations to maintain order and harmony
Vatican II Image of the Church
 Convened in 1962-1965 by Pope John
XXIII, completed by Pope Paul VI
 Produced 16 documents; including
o Lumen Gentium (Light of All
Nations) or the Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church and
o Gaudium et Spes (Joy and Hope)
or the Pastoral Constitution on
the
Church in the Modern World
1. The Church as People of God
 As people of God, the Church is
o A kind of a sacrament or sign of
intimate union with God, and of
the unity of all mankind
o Not an exclusive community
o A pilgrim towards the kingdom
o A sign of the kingdom
o A participatory community
2. The Church, a Hierarchical Society
 Emphasizes the role, function and
power of the church leaders
 Describes the church
1. as a communion of local
churches,
2. led by a college of bishops,
that practices co-responsibility
3. where authority is understood
as service
3. The Church, a Servant
 As a Church, we do not just live for
ourselves and fellow-believers but also
for those different from us, including
our enemies.
 the Church is
1. a servant Church – it exists to
serve and not to be served
2. a community that takes part in
the issues and concerns of society,
including political
“The aspect of life that needs evangelizing
The most is the political” Bp. Bacani
PCP-II’s Vision of Church:
Renewed Church for a Renewed Mission
 The Church becomes a communion of
communities of the disciples of Jesus, all are
co-responsible.
 The laity is at the center of the life of the
Church.
 There is basic equality, a unity in
diversity of charisms and ministries, and a
spirit of participation.
 A Church not only for the poor but a
Church of the poor.
 Enters into dialogue with other
religions and cultures, a “dialogue of life”.
 Fosters the birth or growth of Basic
Ecclesial Communities.
Church of the Poor
 The poor are not discriminated against
 Church leaders give preferential
attention and time to the poor
 In solidarity and collaboration with the
poor
 Pastors and members courageously
defend and vindicate the rights of the poor
and oppressed
 The poor become evangelizers
themselves
The Basic Ecclesial Communities
SiSa=Simbaan Sangkarubaan
 Small communities of Christians,
usually of families who gather around the
Word of God and the Eucharist
 Ministered regularly by lay leaders, yet
remain united with their pastors
 Members know each other and have a
strong sense of belongingness
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  Share both spiritual and material
concerns
 Emerge from the grassroots among
poor farmers and workers
 Strive to integrate faith and daily life
To renew the Church, there are 3 Areas in
need of Renewal
1. Catechesis
✓ It must be Christ-centered,
✓ rooted in God’s Word,
✓ authentically Filipino, and
✓ systematic.
2. Worship
✓ shouldn’t be separated from the
totality of life
✓ through renewal of prayer life, popular
devotions, and liturgy
✓ need for pre- sacramental
catechesis
3. Social Apostolate
✓ Preaching the Gospel includes renewal
of society.
✓ Transforming the socio-political and
economic life of society is part of
evangelization.
✓ Action, in behalf of social justice is a
sign of witnessing to Christ and His
teachings.
ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
CHURCH’S LIFE
1. The Church is One.
 The local Church and the universal
Church are one people of God and one
body of Christ.
 God is the source of the unity within the
Church (Eph. 4:4-6); A unity in
diversity, not uniformity (1 Cor. 1:17).
 Unity not only for our sake but for the
sake of the suffering, sick, and
oppressed.
 Unity is a gift, a task, and a hope.
2. The Church is Holy.
 Holiness does not mean being perfect
or sinless.
 Biblically, holiness means being set
apart to serve God, by serving people.
 The Church grows in holiness through
constant renewal of both members and
leaders (ecclesia semper reformanda).
 The Church embraces sinners and
saints. It is at the same time holy and
always in need of being purified…
(Lumen Gentium)
3. The Church is Catholic.
 The word Catholic means “universal”,
“complete”, “all embracing”.
 Catholicity is the “interior capacity of
exercising a universal ministry of
reconciliation” (CFC 1403).
 It implies being inclusive and reaching
out to those excluded by society.
 The Church is sent to all peoples to be a
sign of God’s universal love for all
human beings.
4. The Church is Apostolic.
 An apostle is a witness of the risen
Lord; hence, commissioned to be a
missionary.
 It is not just referring to the
leaders but all members of
the Church.
o All Christians have the
responsibility to witness to Jesus
through a variety of means.
o The whole Church is apostolic,
sent to proclaim the Good News.
o We see the hierarchy/clergy as a
ministry of leadership.
Our Evangelization
 The Christian faith made us one nation/
people
 We have kept our religious traditions
and practices: fiestas, Christmas, Holy Week,
devotions, etc., but with superstitious beliefs.
 The faith is centered on the practice of
the rites of popular piety, not on God’s Word,
doctrines, sacramental worship, community,
transforming our society.
Our Religious Context
5
  Majority of our people greatly lack
knowledge of and formation in the faith.
 Most of them are “nominal Catholics”.
 We are “one of the two Christian
Nations in Asia”, but crimes of violence,
graft and corruption, abuse of power,
etc, plague our nation.
 There are not enough priests, religious
and other Church personnel.
II. Envisioning a Church Renewed
 Models the Church after the early
Christian communities with the six
dimensions
 Following this model,
b) Church of the Poor
 It fosters the birth and growth of
BECs/ SiSa
 Mary serves as Model
Discipleship
The Church as a communion of
communities of Jesus’ disciples.
 Described as unity in diversity, and
equality in dignity
 Characterized by participation: the
laity more fully involved in the life
and mission of the Church
 A community-in-mission, and in
dialogue with other religions
 A priestly, prophetic and kingly
people
Mary, Model of Discipleship
 Mary as “an excellent exemplar
in faith and charity, model of the Church”
 “… first to be evangelized, to
receive the Good News, to be a woman of
great faith”
 “… first evangelizer, giver of
Jesus to the people”
PCP II’S Vision of a Renewed Church,
accdg to Arch. Orlando Quevedo
“a community of the Lord’s disciples,
where everyone participates actively in the
building of God’s people, each one totally
motivated by God’s love which expresses
itself most especially in a Christian love of
preference for the poor, thus making the
community of disciples a Church of the Poor”
PCP-II’s vision for the Filipino society
That all may have life (mabigyan ng buhay) –
we shall have to create a free nation:
where human dignity and solidarity
are respected and promoted;
where moral principles prevail in
socio-economic life and structure;
where justice, love, and solidarity are
the inner driving forces of
development.
We shall have to build a sovereign nation:
where every tribe and faith are
respected;
where diverse tongues and traditions
work together for the good of all;
of where membership is a call to
participation and involvement and leadership
a summon to generous service.
Ours will have to be a people in harmony with
one another through unity in diversity; in
harmony with creation, and in harmony with
God.
Ours shall be a civilization of life and love.
IV: Workers of Renewal
1. The Lay Faithful
2. The Religious
3. The Clergy
4. Other Communities of Renewal
- Family
- Youth
- Catholic Educational
Institutions
- Parish Church
MISSION AND CULTURE
In the encounter between cultures, both are
enriched.
Perhaps, this was what happened when Jesus
encountered the Samaritan woman.
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman (John 4:1-
6
42)
Jesus Goes to Galilee
4 So then, when the Lord knew that the
Pharisees had heard that [a]He was making
and baptizing more disciples than John 2
(although Jesus Himself was not baptizing;
rather, His disciples were), 3 He left Judea and
went away again to Galilee. 4 And He had to
pass through Samaria. 5 So He *came to a city
of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of
land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; 6 and
Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, tired from His
journey, was just sitting by the well. It was
about [b]the sixth hour.
The Woman of Samaria
7 A woman of Samaria *came to draw water.
Jesus *said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 For
His disciples had gone away to the city to buy
food. 9 So the Samaritan woman *said to Him,
“How is it that You, though You are a Jew, are
asking me for a drink, though I am a Samaritan
woman?” (For Jews do not associate with
Samaritans.) 10 Jesus replied to her, “If you
knew the gift of God, and who it is who is
saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would
have asked Him, and He would have given
you living water.”
11 She *said to Him, “[a]Sir, You have no
bucket and the well is deep; where then do
You get this living water? 12 You are not
greater than our father Jacob, are You,
who gave us the well and drank of it himself,
and his sons and his cattle?” 13 Jesus
answered and said to her, “Everyone who
drinks of this water will be thirsty
again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that
I will give him shall never be thirsty; but the
water that I will give him will become in him a
fountain of water springing up to eternal life.”
15 The woman *said to Him, “[b]Sir, give me
this water so that I will not be thirsty, nor
come all the way here to draw water.” 16 He
*said to her, “Go, call your husband and come
here.” 17 The woman answered and said to
Him, “I have no husband.” Jesus *said to
her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no
husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands,
and the one whom you now have is not your
husband; this which you have
said is true.” 19 The woman *said to Him,
“[c]Sir, I perceive that You are a
prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this
mountain, and yet you Jews say that in
Jerusalem is the place where one must
worship.”
21 Jesus *said to her, “Believe Me, woman,
that [d]a time is coming when you will
worship the Father neither on this mountain
nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship
what you do not know; we worship what we do
know, because salvation is from the
Jews. 23 But [e]a time is coming, and [f]even
now has arrived, when the true worshipers
will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for
such people the Father seeks to be [g]His
worshipers. 24 God is [h]spirit, and those who
worship Him must worship in spirit and
truth.” 25 The woman *said to Him, “I know
that Messiah is coming (He who is called
Christ); when that One comes, He will declare
all things to us.” 26 Jesus *said to her, “I
am He, the One speaking to you.”
27 And at this point His disciples came, and
they were amazed that He had been speaking
with a woman, yet no one said, “What are You
seeking?” or, “Why are You speaking with
her?” 28 So the woman left her waterpot and
went into the city, and *said to the
people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all
the things that I have done; this is not
the [i]Christ, is He?” 30 They left the city and
were coming to Him.
31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him,
saying, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32 But He
said to them, “I have food to eat that you do
not know about.” 33 So the disciples were
saying to one another, “No one brought
Him anything to eat, did he?” 34 Jesus *said to
them, “My food is to do the will of Him who
sent Me, and to accomplish His work. 35 Do
you not say, ‘There are still four months,
and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I tell
7
you, raise your eyes and observe the fields,
that they are white for harvest.
36 Already the one who reaps is
receiving wages and is gathering fruit
for eternal life, so that the one who sows and
the one who reaps may rejoice
together. 37 For in this case the saying is true:
‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to
reap that for which you have not labored;
others have labored, and you have [j]come
into their labor.”
The Samaritans
39 Now from that city many of the Samaritans
believed in Him because of the word of the
woman who testified, “He told me all the
things that I have done.” 40 So when the
Samaritans came to [m]Jesus, they were
asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed
there two days. 41 Many more believed
because of His word; 42 and they were saying
to the woman, “It is no longer because of what
you said that we believe, for we have heard
for ourselves and know that this One truly
is the Savior of the world.”
 This Gospel passage exemplifies the
encounter with Jesus. It underlies the
following essential elements.
o The initiative comes from Jesus.
He waited by the well. He was the one who
opened the conversation by asking for a
drink.
o There is active participation from
the person: the woman came to the well; she
expressed herself openly.
o There is a meeting of persons
and a progress in their dialogue. Jesus is not
disturbed by the woman’s initial resistance,
and carries on a dialogue that develops
through the woman’s 7 answers to Jesus’ 7
statements.
 Picture the scene more vividly in your
mind. Relive the experience of the Samaritan
woman and allow Jesus to question you and to
know you… let Him listen to you and
transform you, just as He has transformed the
Samaritan woman to become His disciple.
Leave the best part of yourself as the woman
left her water jug at the feet of Jesus.
 Jesus tired from his journey sits by
Jacob’s well.
o You, too, are in a journey. Where
is your journey leading you? Are
you aware of this?
o What are the things that weigh
you down and make you feel
tired at this moment of your life?
o “Jesus sits by Jacob’s well”…
What is your favorite “space” of
rest when you find yourself
tired?
 Moved by God’s love… Jesus begins a
dialogue with the woman, asking her for a
drink.
o Is there anyone with whom you
should begin a dialogue? About what
concern/s should you talk?
o What is preventing you from
approaching that person?
o Jesus begun by asking for a
drink… How could you start your
dialogue with this particular person?
 Jesus is not disturbed by the woman’s
initial resistance, and carries on a dialogue…
o Jesus would like to begin and
carry on a dialogue with you…
Would you offer resistance?
o What do you think would Jesus
be telling you?
o The dialogue with the Samaritan
woman developed through the woman’s 7
answers to Jesus’ 7 statements. In your
dialogue with Jesus, can you identify 7
statements which Jesus would probably
address to you? What would your 7 answers
be?
 In the end, the woman puts down her
water jug and hurried to tell people about the
Christ.
o The water jug symbolizes
everything that the woman carries within
her. Describe your own “water jug”: your
fears, capabilities, anxieties, struggles,
desires, ambitions…
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 o At the end of this encounter, what
do you think is Jesus asking you to leave
behind, to give up so that you may really
proclaim Him to others?
 The story of the meeting of Jesus and
the Samaritan woman mirrors the long-
running hostility between the Samaritans and
Jews.
 Originally, both people belonged to
similar traditions but because of historical
circumstances, the two developed in separate
directions.
 The result was that Jews looked down
on Samaritans because they were supposed to
be a mixed race.
 Of course, the Samaritans did not like
this and responded in kind.
 This hostile relationship remained even
up to the time of Jesus so that the disciples
were shocked to find Jesus talking to a
Samaritan and to a woman.
 But Jesus did not see the cultural and
gender divide as a reason for not relating in a
humane way with others.
 As it was His usual way, He breached
the wall of division to reach out to the other in
charity and openness.
 Such is the missionary way.
Notions of Culture
Definitions of Culture
 Culture refers to the cumulative deposit
of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values,
attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion,
notions of time, roles, spatial relations,
concepts of the universe, and material objects
and possessions acquired by a group of
people in the course of generations through
individual and group striving.
 Culture in its broadest sense is
cultivated behavior; that is the totality of a
person’s learned, accumulated experience
which is socially transmitted, or more briefly,
behavior through social learning.
 A culture is a way of life of a group of
people – the behaviors, beliefs, values, and
symbols that they accept, generally without
thinking about them, and that are passed
along by communication and imitation from
one generation to the next.
 Culture is symbolic communication.
Some of its symbols include a group’s skills,
knowledge, attitude, values, and motives. The
meanings of the symbols are learned and
deliberately perpetuated in a society through
its institutions.
 Culture consists of patterns, explicit
and implicit, of and for behavior acquired and
transmitted by symbols, constituting the
distinctive achievement of human groups,
including their embodiments in artifacts; the
essential core of culture consists of traditional
ideas and especially their attached values;
culture systems may, on the one hand, be
considered as products of action, on the other
hand, as conditioning influences upon further
action.
 Culture is the sum total of the learned
behavior of a group of people that are
generally considered to be the tradition of
that people and are transmitted from
generation to generation.
Second Vatican Council Understanding of
Culture
 Culture is the particular way in which
persons and peoples cultivate their
relationship with nature and their brothers
and sisters, with themselves and with God, so
as to attain a fully human existence (Cf.
Gaudium et Spes, 53).
 Culture only exists through man, by
man and for man.
 Culture is the whole of human activity,
human intelligence and emotions, the human
quest for meaning, human customs and ethics.
 Culture is so natural to man that human
nature can only be revealed through culture.
Relationship Between Faith and Culture
Culture as an integral aspect of being human
 Culture influences the way people
think, feel and behave.
 Culture is the total way of living of a
people, including:
9
 o Beliefs about human life and the
world;
o Stories in myths, epics, saying or
proverbs, songs and dances; and
o Rituals, customs, manners and
ceremonies.
 Culture gives people:
o Identity (who we are as a people)
o Belonging (who is one of us and
who is not one of us)
o Dignity (our value or worth as a
people)
o Continuity (why we are this way
today and what is our direction
as a people)
Culture as the ground where faith grows and
flourishes
 For all culture is an effort to ponder the
mystery of the world and in particular of the
human person: it is a way of giving expression
to the transcendent dimension of human life.
 The heart of every culture is its
approach to the greatest mystery: the mystery
of God.
 A faith that does not become culture is a
faith not fully accepted, not entirely thought
out, not faithfully lived.
Necessity of inculturation: dialogue between
faith and culture
 Through inculturation the Church
makes the Gospel incarnate in different
cultures and at the same time introduces
peoples, together with their cultures, into her
own community.
 She transmits to them her own values,
at the same time taking the good elements
that already exist in them and renewing them
from within.
 Through inculturation the Church, for
her part, becomes a more intelligible sign of
what she is, and a more effective instrument of
mission.
 The evangelization of cultures and the
inculturation of the Gospel go hand in hand, in
a reciprocal relationship which presupposes
constant discernment in the light of the
Gospel, to facilitate the identification of values
and counter-values in a given culture, so as to
build on the former and vigorously combat
the latter.
Necessity of interculturation: dialogue
between and among cultures
 What is most noticeable about the
world in which the Church carries out her
mission of evangelization today is the
diversity of cultural situations which have
developed from the perspectives of different
religions.
 The Church recognizes religious values
enshrined in traditional cultures, such as a
sense of family, love and respect for life,
veneration of ancestors, a sense of solidarity
and community, respect for the chief and
elders and promotes those which are
consonant with the Gospel.
 Many elements of spirituality and
mysticism, like holiness, self-denial, chastity,
universal love, a love for peace, prayer and
contemplation, bliss in God and compassion,
which are very much alive in the cultures of
the world major religions, can lead on to faith
in the God of Jesus Christ.
As missionaries, we are called to dialogue
with others in the following ways:
1. Avoid the tendency to look down on and
make fun of other cultures by our words and
gestures;
2. Cultivate the attitude of openness to the
ways other people look at things. They might
see things differently because they come from
a different background;
3. Always put in mind that there are many
cultures when dealing with others, and each
culture has its own logic and wisdom; and
4. Participate in fora, talks and presentations
which have to do with culture to widen our
cultural knowledge and appreciation.
MISSION AND ECOLOGY
PARAISO
Return to a land called Paraiso
A place where a dying river ends
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No birds dare fly over Paraiso
No space allows them to endure
The smoke that screens the air
The grass that's never there
And if I could see a single bird
What a joy!
I try to write some words and create
A simple song to be heard by the rest of the
world
I live in a land called Paraiso
In a house made of cardboard floors and walls
I learned to be free in Paraiso
Free to claim anything I see
Matching rags for my clothes
Plastic bags for the cold
And if empty cans were all I have
What a joy!
I never fight to take someone else's coins
And live with fear like the rest of the boys
Paraiso, help me make a stand
Paraiso, take me by the hand
Paraiso, make the world understand
That if I could see a single bird
What a joy!
This tired and hungry land could expect
Some truth and hope and respect
From the rest of the world
And if empty cans were all I have
What a joy!
I never fight to take someone else's coins
And live with fear like the rest of the boys
Paraiso, help me make a stand
Paraiso, take me by the hand
Paraiso, make the world understand
That if I could see a single bird
What a joy!
This tired and hungry land could expect
Some truth and hope and respect
From the rest of the world
Paraiso, help me make a stand
Paraiso, take me by the hand
Paraiso, make the world understand
That if I could see a single bird
What a joy!
This tired and hungry land could expect
Some truth and hope and respect
From the rest
That if I could see a single bird
What a joy!
This tired and hungry land could expect
Some truth and hope and respect
From the rest of the world
Treating our material environment as mere
object of profit and exploitation goes against
the spirit of the Christian scriptures.
Suffering, and Hope in God’s Promise
(Romans 8:18-25)
18 I consider that the sufferings of this present
time are not worth comparing with the glory
about to be revealed to us.
19 For the creation waits with eager longing
for the revealing of the children of God;
20 for the creation was subjected to futility,
not of its own will but by the will of the one
who subjected it, in hope
21 that the creation itself will be set free from
its bondage to decay and will obtain the
freedom of the glory of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been
groaning in labor pains until now;
23 and not only the creation, but we
ourselves, who have the first fruits of the
Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for
adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that
is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is
seen?
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we
wait for it with patience.
 It may be out of date to say that the
Bible addresses environmental issues
because there were none during the ancient
times.
 But it is valid to draw from this text by
Saint Paul an insight that can be the pattern for
today’s relationship with nature.
 This insight is the realization that
human beings are not separate from the rest
of creation.
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  In fact, we are, in a very real sense,
part of the created order.
 We are dependent on other creatures
for survival such that their destruction spells
ours.
 This solidarity means our salvation
entails the salvation of the material world and
vice versa.
Integrity of Creation
 The seventh commandment enjoins
respect for the integrity of creation. (CCC
2415)
 The web of life: we are all
interconnected and salvation is for the whole
of creation.
o The sun is our brother, the moon
is our sister. (Saint Francis of
Assisi)
o All creation will be set free.
(Romans 8:21-22)
o The sun and the moon, the cedar
and the little flower, the eagle and the
sparrow: the spectacle of their countless
diversities and inequalities tell us that no
creature is self-sufficient. Creatures exist
only in dependence on each other, to
complete each other, in the service of each
other. (CCC 340)
 Human solidarity with the rest of
creation
o Creation as kapwa-kalikasan
o We all have a common origin
and destiny (Genesis 1; Romans
8).
o There is a solidarity among all
creatures arising from the fact that all
have the same Creator and are all
ordered to his glory. (CCC 344)
 The earth as home.
o We see and hear about the
urgent needs of our planet.
o As citizens, we are called to
respond to pollution, climate change and
environment devastation.
o What we might fully realize is
that our faith makes claims upon us in this
area as well.
o Care for creation is not an
optional response to the Christian
message, but a required one.
Sustainable Development and
Intergenerational Responsibility
 A more holistic understanding of
development
o Development happens in the
economic/material, socio-political and
spiritual aspects.
o Man is himself the author, center
and goal of all economic and social life.
The decisive point of the social question
is that goods created by God for
everyone should reach everyone in
accordance with justice and with the help
of charity. (CCC 2459)
o True development concerns the
whole man. It is concerned with
increasing each person’s ability to
respond to his vocation and hence to
God’s call. (CCC 2461)
 Seriously taking responsibility for the
future generations
o Focus on the sustainability of
resources
o The dominion granted by the
Creator over the mineral, vegetable and
animal resources of the universe cannot
be separated from respect for moral
obligations, including those toward
generations to come. (CCC 2456)
The Sapat Principle as an Ecological Moral
Imperative versus
 Consumerism
o an attitude that values the
acquisition of material goods
o the belief that the buying and
selling of large quantities of consumer
goods is beneficial to an economy or a
sign of economic strength
 Materialism - devotion to material
wealth and possessions at the expense of
spiritual or intellectual values
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  Wastefulness- the attitude of using
resources unwisely
 Unbridled Desire for Profit - making
excessive profits by charging high prices for
scarce, necessary, or rationed goods
As missionaries united with the whole of
creation, we can save the Earth, our only
home in this life by:
1. Planting trees, saving energy, segregating
waste, recycling, buying only what we can
consume to avoid wastage etc.;
2. Joining advocacy movements for a clean
and green environment;
3. Buying products that are environment-
friendly; and
4. Writing letters to newspapers regarding
environmental issues to help raise public
awareness and create passion for
environmental protection among the public.
JESUS & THE SEASONS OF THE
LITURGICAL YEAR
ADVENT—Jesus is coming
CHRISTMAS—Jesus is born
ORDINARY TIME— Jesus teaches
LENT—Jesus will die & rise
TRIDUUM—Jesus suffered & died
EASTER—Jesus rises
The great feasts “commemorate” and
“communicate” the mystery of Christ
THE 4 WEEKS OF ADVENT 2022:
THE CANDLES AND THE WREATH
(November 27 - December 24)
 WEEK 1 (November 27)
-The 1st Sunday of Advent symbolizes
HOPE with the “PROPHET'S CANDLE ”
reminding us that Jesus is coming. (Purple
Candle)
- (Isaiah 11:10)
 WEEK 2 (December 4)
The 2nd Sunday of Advent symbolizes
FAITH with the “BETHLEHEM CANDLE ”
reminding us of Mary and Joseph’s journey
to Bethlehem. (Purple Candle)
(Luke 3: 4-6)
 WEEK 3 (December 11)
The 3rd Sunday of Advent symbolizes JOY
with the “SHEPHERD’S CANDLE ”
reminding us of the Joy the world
experienced at the coming birth of Jesus.
(Pink Candle)
(Luke 2:10)
 WEEK 4 (December 18)
The 4th Sunday of Advent symbolizes
Peace with the “ANGEL’S CANDLE ”
reminding us of the message of the angels:
“Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men.”
(Purple Candle)
-happiness and joy to welcome the Savior.
(Luke 2:14)
 WHITE CANDLE OR THE CHRIST
CANDLE (December 24)
The fifth candle which is placed at the
center of the wreath is called the "CHRIST
CANDLE" which reminds us of Jesus who is
at the center of the season. It is lit on
Christmas Eve. Jesus alone is the reason
why we celebrate Christmas. (White
Candle)
White is the color of Advent representing
purity and light.
 THE WREATH
The Advent wreath first appeared in
Germany in 1839. Lutheran minister Johann
Hinrich Wichern working at a mission for
children created a wreath out of the wheel
of a cart. He placed twenty small red
candles and four large white candles
inside the ring. The red candles were lit on
weekdays and the four white candles were
lit on Sundays.
The evergreens used for the wreath itself
are a reminder of continuous life.
The circle is also a sign of everlasting life
as well as the eternity of God.
Their red color of berries points ahead to
Jesus’ sacrifice and death on the cross,
shedding his blood for our sins.
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 The laurel signifies victory over
persecution and suffering; pine, holly,
and yew, immortality; and cedar, strength
and healing.
CHRIST THE KING
The official Roman Catholic title is The
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the
Universe. Pope Pius XI established the feast in
1925. It was originally celebrated on the
Sunday before All Saints’ but was moved in
1970 to the last Sunday of the Christian year.
Pope Pius XI hoped the institution of the feast
would have various effects. They were:
1. That nations would see that the Church has
the right to freedom, and immunity from the
state (Quas Primas, 31).
2. That leaders and nations would see that
they are bound to give respect to Christ (Quas
Primas, 32).
3. That the faithful would gain strength and
courage from the celebration of the feast, as
we are reminded that Christ must reign in our
hearts, minds, wills, and bodies (Quas Primas,
33).
LESSON 1: NATURE OF TODAY’S
MISSIONARY
One enemy of the sheep and shepherds
during the time of Jesus were the wolves. In
several parts of the New Testament narratives,
these wolves are mentioned. When the
missionaries in the early Church were sent on
a mission, there was always this thought of
possible persecution of unbelievers and
difficulties arising from being a stranger in a
foreign land.
The Gospels reflect this situation where early
missionaries were always in danger. This
danger remains even today, although it might
have taken other forms because of a changed
situation. Yet, as Jesus assured those whom he
sent before and us today, the mission can be
done.
1. Largely globalized world
a. On the economic aspect
- increase in global/ national income and
productivity
- concentration of wealth and power in
a few
- Unjust distribution of wealth
- deprivation and impoverishment of
the poor and marginalized
b. On human development/ rights
- disenfranchisement of peoples
- religious and ethnic fundamentalism
- exclusion of certain groups
2. Highly technological
a. Impact of technological
developments on the life of
individuals and communities
- challenge to traditional ways of life
and values
- marginalization of the masses
- machines take over labor
b. Use of mass media in
evangelization: possibilities,
challenges, issues
- fast and wide spread of
knowledge, pseudo-knowledge,
and outright fake news
- information overload
- digitization
3. Poverty in the face of affluence
a. Roots/ causes: Corruption,
unequal distribution of resources,
unemployment
b. poverty and its many evil effects
c. poverty as global phenomenon
4. Religious extremism and intolerance
a. Roots/ causes: Religious, economic,
political
b. Threats to freedom and human
existence: can lead to terrorism,
poverty, and war
5. Ecological destruction
a. Roots/ causes
b. Impact of ecological destruction
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 on human life

In a changed and changing situation, we are

called to be “wise as a snake and gentle as a
dove.” We are called to
‘read the signs of the times” and do our
mission with discernment and wisdom. We do
this by:

1. Reading and listening to the news and

being updated with what is taking place in our
society because as the Book of Proverbs says,
“knowledge is the beginning of wisdom”;

2. Practice telling the truth and

standing for what is true and just
in all situations; and
3. Taking regular time for silence,
prayer, and reflection on the
burning issues of society and the
Christian responsibility to take
action.

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