Being God’s family in the world

The last pastoral year of the Church in Europe once again clearly reflects the nature and vocation of the Church to be God’s family in the world.There is too much going on in Europe – thank God! – and often what is happening is paradoxical. Already Henri de Lubac spoke about the paradoxical dimension of the Christian faith. One thinks, for example, of the constant invitation addressed by Pope Francis to all us Christians to be joyful in order to be able to bring God’s joy to everyone; and how at the same time this appeal for joyfulness is associated with concern at the difficult situations of so many people who are suffering beside us. The beauty of the Gospel is precisely this: to take seriously our sufferings and that of others but without allowing ourselves to be overshadowed by fear. Jesus calls us to take up the cross and, at the same time, assures us of His victorious presence on our journey. Looking at the so many events and meetings oganised in the last year, but also at the many discourses and documents drawn up by our Bishops’ Conferences to discern the true nature of things and encourage Christians to greater commitment in witnessing to Christ in their daily lives, the Church in Europe echoes the complex reality in which we live. This human reality, at times difficult, harsh and impervious to Christianity, is, on the other hand, the same reality in which we encounter Christ who does not allow us to be alarmed as if the Church in Europe had no future. In fact there are so many parishes, movements, groups of families, young people, and professionals, who are active and have communal experiences full of life, even in areas, too, where it seemed the Church was about to disappear, that we cannot despair. The economic crisis itself, which has caused suffering to so many people and continues to be particularly severe for so many people and families, has revealed the living face of both organised and spontaneous Christian charity. And charity, when it arises from the nourishment of faith, is always the most beautiful expression of the Christian life. There are many challenges facing the Church both from its own children and from the world in which we live: the economic crisis, unemployment, the ageing demographics, forgotten immigrants, families no longer united, secularisation, religious indifference, and once again a lack of peace in some regions of Europe and the world (…) all these and many other problems never leave Christians indifferent. In all of this, the European episcopate and the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) are not on the margins. We all know that these problems will never be resolved without a true united commitment which arises from a living Church, which is able to look at reality in all its drama in order to be able to become a protagonist of just and true changes. But a lot remains to be done! How many times it was important to be even more attentive, how many times have we been distracted by secondary issues!Also the internal difficulties of the Church are constant in Europe. The Pope has reminded us, from the outset of his pontificate, not to be self-referential. We think of the reform of the Vatican Curia – and perhaps of the dioceses – we think of the Synod on the Family, ecumenism, the many Catholics who do not come to Sunday Mass, etc. The Church does not resolve its problems by looking at itself or dreaming of a better future, but only by looking at the Face of Jesus and entering into a stronger relationship with Him. In the meetings which CCEE has organized, but also in other meetings which have been promoted by the local Churches, it is evident that the bishops are seeking “to look to the Heavens” to understand reality here below. It is with eyes and ears open to the testimony of someone from another country that it is possible to understand challenges which are always more global and to consciously take on what is happening in our continent.One more thing is clear in everything we are experiencing: the growing centralisation around the person of Jesus Christ. The time when faith could be taken for granted and the Church thought it could devote itself to moral issues or the organisation of parish groups has long gone. Today the great challenge is undoubtedly that of evangelisation. It is the encounter with Jesus, with His person, with His mercy and so also with His Word which leads to fullness of life and the gift of self to Others.