Rather exotically for a well-formed and serious Catholic believer, I am quite well embedded with my local Baptist community, a relationship which was the result of the interdenominational curiosity of my autistic son, resulting in our attending an Alpha course and joining a home group. Our relationship has been cultivated over a couple of years by a mutual love of Scripture and of Jesus Christ which has seen a developing mutual respect which is not shy of discussing our differences while embracing and focusing on what we share, which is, as it turns out, an awful lot.
Last Saturday they invited me to join them on a visit to Southend High Street in an initiative to bring Christ out to the community. Filled with no small degree of trepidation, I agreed.
It was a rainy morning before Halloween and there were a lot of strange people on the High Street, the Ghostbusters had taken up residence by the Odeon Cinema and there were a greater than usual number of occultishly-dressed individuals wandering around in anticipation of a Halloween Parade taking place later.
There were 12 of us, rather auspiciously, and we separated into pairs, inspired by Our Lord’s instructions to His Apostles. We were armed with short Bible tracts about being a good person, life’s meaning and why God allows suffering. These were carefully selected to open the doors of conversation. The mission was to bring the light that Jesus and the Gospel provides in our lives out into our broken world and offer it as a gift to the people. In spite of the fact that I have seldom been more out of my own comfort zone, this mission, coupled with the biblical mandate it represented, provided the inspiration to go along. If God could use me in that place at that time to just touch one person seeking answers or in pain, it would be worth whatever humiliation or discomfort I felt.
The great privilege was being in the company of others who absolutely believed that the power of the Gospel mattered and could change people’s lives. Paul, Dapo, Sue and Jan in particular, went about their work with incredible enthusiasm and joy, sharing their love for Christ with people who were either disinterested, apathetic or vehemently opposed to the message. The truth of what they believed became crystallised for me in those few hours: it is what I believe as well and this is it in action.
The people coming towards us were a tide of the lost, the broken, the scared, going about their lives without really understanding much more than the need to put one foot in front of the other and get through. It became blindingly apparent that if we could share the transformative nature of the Good News which affirms that you are created, you are loved and you are redeemed; that every single human person bears the irreducible seed of eternity within them and the image and likeness of the living God, we could transform lives.
As I stood in the rain furtively offering tracts and trying to engage in conversation, I found myself in awe of several members of the group as they entered into long conversations with the homeless or angry atheists. They did so with obvious genuine care for each individual as well as utter conviction that each conversation had the power to effect change for the better.
What’s more extraordinary to me is that the Baptists do this with the nothing more than the Bible. It is reading the Bible and trying to conform themselves to the Gospel message they find within that motivates them to go out into the world. I cannot help but think on just how much richer Catholics are, wrapped in a liturgy which makes the saving act of Jesus real and present to us every time we are at Mass.
Each Sunday we are called to “go forth”. The Sacraments are not for our benefit alone – they provide the fortification necessary to build the Kingdom. Holy Communion worthily received configures us to Christ, nourishing and nurturing us to share in His Mission and prophetic ministry by virtue of our baptism.
In the timeless words of St Jerome, we find a profound truth that resonates through the ages: “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”
These words serve as a poignant reminder of the sacred bond that unites the Liturgy of the Word with the Liturgy of the Eucharist. It is a bond that not only invites us to embrace this divine wisdom but also compels us to share this invaluable treasure with the world.
At the heart of Catholic doctrine lies a fundamental unity between the Liturgy of the Word and the Eucharist. This unity forms an intrinsic and sacred connection that transcends mere ritual; it is a spiritual journey that touches the very essence of our faith. When we, as individuals, open our hearts and minds to the Word of God, we have the potential to give birth to the possibilities of a culture transformed by God’s presence.
The Eucharistic it is not merely the communion of bread and wine; it is the place where the Word of God and the Body of the Lord converge, embracing us in their divine harmony. Thus, we come to understand that the Liturgy of the Word is not merely a preliminary step in the Mass; it is, in fact, the connatural end, the very essence of our spiritual journey that culminates in the Eucharist.
In this sacred union, the Church becomes the vessel through which we receive and, in turn, share the Bread of Life, drawn from the two tables of the Word of God and the Body of Christ. It is a seamless flow of divine nourishment that connects our souls with the profound teachings of Scripture and the sanctifying power of the Eucharist.
Imagine if we really allowed our lives to be animated by this sacred confluence and thus sanctified took the love of our God out to the people? There can be no doubt that we would change the world.
(Photo courtesy of Mark Lambert, pictured third from right)
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.