May 08, 2015
Friday, 5th Week of Easter
1st Reading: Acts 15:22–31
Gospel: Jn 15:12–17
Jesus said to his disciples, “This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you. There is no greater love than this, to give one’s life for one’s friends; and you are my friends if you do what I command you.
“I shall not call you servants anymore, because servants do not know what their master is about. Instead I have called you friends, since I have made known to you everything I learned from my Father.
“You did not choose me; it was I who chose you and sent you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. And everything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. “This is my command, that you love one another.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
The various expressions of the Church highlight three constitutive elements of Church life as identified by St. Luke, namely, the kyregma, the koinonia, and the liturgia. ‘Kyregma’ is fidelity to the teachings of the Apostles, ‘Koinonia’ is communion (cf. Acts 2:44ff.), and ‘Liturgia’ is the breaking of the bread (cf. Acts 2:42). At the heart of these three elements is communion where one experiences ‘love that gives no room for a poverty that denies anyone what is needed for a dignified life” (Deus Caritas Est).
Expressing herself as BEC (Basic Ecclesial Communities) at the turn of the millennium, the Church revisited the old structure of the Church where “all who believed were together and had all things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need” (Acts 2:44-5). At the practical level BEC attempted to group parishes into small cells of believers that gather weekly for “kyregma” to read the Word, reflect on it vis-à-vis human experience, draw out plans to concretize realizations, and pray together as a community (“liturgia”). This weekly activity empowered many BEC cells to come up with income-generating projects to help one another live decently (“koinonia”).
To hasten the clustering of their parishes into small cells, some parish priests denied the sacraments to non-BEC members. The unpopularity of the manner of implementation and the difficulty of clustering trans-parochial people stalled the complete implementation of its programs. If these problems cannot be addressed at macro level, the Church must shift to other efficient ways of expression.
But by whatsoever means the Church finds appropriate to express herself, she must always heed Pope Francis’ invitation to exercise mercy and compassion because the God she believes in is the God of love. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.frdan.org.
May comment ka ba sa column ni Father Dan? May tanong ka ba sa kanya? I-type ang BANDERA REACT
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Bandera. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.