We Are All Godparents!!
At our 10.30 Mass this weekend, we celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism with the family of Grace Elizabeth Scavone. Worshippers at the Mass fulfill the role of “honorary godparents.”
Our Catholic religion is an incarnational, sacramental relgion. Our Catholic faith thrives through the recognition in faith that Jesus Christ is with us in the daily journey of our lives.
We try to recall that the mission of sharing not only our life, but our faith as well is a demand placed upon all of us. Jesus has plenty of work for all of us to do.
We live in what has been called a “post-modern society”. (In light of September 11th , we even need to rename even this term.) Nevertheless, as 21st century USA RC’s, we might fulfill our role with a mindset characterized by 4 traits.
First, we live with a revised “historical consciousness.” We know that we are hurtling through time, but in the light of the recent past, we realize that historical changes are not necessarily for the better. The violence of the twentieth century, culminating in the unbelievable atrocities of September 11th cautions us to realize that all progress is not necessarily a blessing. (We now need to ponder the implications of this in light of stem-cell research.) Yet, Jesus wants us, as honorary godparents, to realize that there is a “Mystery in your history.”
Two, we are aware now more than ever that we are to have a “global consciousness”. The world is, indeed, a global village. The less fortunate of our world are our fellow villagers as well as our kinsfolk. (We all have a Common Relative.) Jesus wants us to understand and to behave that all the villagers and kinsfolk have dignity and equality.
Third, our awareness of our familial relationships with all our global villagers urge us to have a “pluralistic consciousness”. Believe it or not, we can learn from one another!! The Second Vatican Council teaches is to see Jesus Christ as “God’s Absolute Revelation.” However, there are truths from others can we can learn and appropriate in the light of Jesus Christ.
Fourth, we are alerted to a “cosmic consciousness”. We are not only related to one another, but to the world around us, for whom we are to be advocates. (Recall the bumper sticker, “Take care of your mother!” with a picture of the earth as the famous “Blue Marble.”) We are further related to the universe of which we are a small, but most significant, part. Space travel reminds us of this new consciousness.
Jesus Christ wants us as parents and honorary godparents to share with our children this transforming view of reality for generations yet to come.
400 years ago, St Teresa of Avila Mass.
Christ has no body now, but yours,
No hands but yours,
no feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion must look out on the world.
Yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good.
Yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.”
The roles of parents, families, parishes are more crucial now than ever. In sharing faith and hope in Jesus Christ, may Jesus rely on the firm witness of parents, families and parishes who are the body, the hands, the feet and the eyes of Jesus Christ for their children. 011302 AD jfq
