ۥ- *5($222222222222 2 344444444444455Preaching in the third millennium: challenges and opportunities Among the priorities of the Church at the dawn of a new millennium, in a context of a situation that is becoming increasingly diversified and demanding, John Paul II emphasised a summons to the new evangelisation, indicating that we must rekindle in ourselves the impetus of the beginnings and allow ourselves to be filled with the ardour of the apostolic preaching which followed Pentecost (NMI 40/1). Evangelisation involves all the Churchs faithful, but preaching by priests without doubt plays a very important role. I mean preaching in the real sense of this word, hence the live spoken announcing and presentation in public of the doctrine of the Christian faith and its morals. How can one give new life to the ministry of preaching? One easily understands that this does not only involve providing new impetus to all done until now, but also confronting the new challenges presented by the current human and social context, which also provide new opportunities for evangelisation. To discover a real answer we will follow the indications provided by Benedict XVI in his first Message the day after his election as Saint Peters successor. While I also wish to confirm my determination to continue to put the Second Vatican Council II into practice, he added: As the years have passed, the Counciliar Documents have lost none of their timeliness; indeed, their teachings are proving particularly relevant to the new situation of the Church and the current globalized society (no. 3). Let us now analyse what these Documents state. Lumen gentium enunciates the basic principle of the priestly ministry of preaching: Priests [] by the power of the sacrament of Orders, in the image of Christ the eternal high Priest, they are consecrated to preach the Gospel, and adds a precious indication: Partakers of the function of Christ the sole Mediator, on their level of ministry, they announce the divine word to all. (LG 28/1). To all therefore, and here there is already an important challenge. The Decree Presbyterorum Ordinis repeats the broad range of people who must be the object of preaching: To all men, therefore, priests are debtors that the truth of the Gospel which they have may be given to others (PO 4/1), and then lists the two main categories involved: on one hand, in areas or communities of non-Christians, because the proclaiming of the Gospel draws men to faith and to the sacraments of salvation; and on the other, in the Christian community, but among these the Councils Decree also indicates a category for which preaching becomes a really particular challenge, and hence especially among those who seem to understand and believe little of what they practice (PO 4/2). As far as the contents of preaching are concerned, the Decree emphasises an important duty that is also another challenge, because it is the word of Christ they teach, and it is to conversion and holiness that they exhort all men (PO 4/1). John Paul II followed this path, indicating sanctity as pastoral cares priority for the new millennium: The time has come to re-propose wholeheartedly to everyone this high standard of ordinary Christian living (NMI 31/3). This is the real challenge for priests, because, as the Counciliar Decree teaches, it is up to them to fulfil in themselves the Word of God they must teach to others (see PO 13/2). Each priest must see whether he is achieving this high standard. Another opportunity for preaching, and also another pressing challenge, is proposed by John Paul II, in the Encyclical Redemptoris missio, when mentioning the modern areopagi.[] At that time the Areopagus [in the days of Saint Paul] represented the cultural centre of the learned people of Athens, and today it can be taken as a symbol of the new sectors in which the Gospel must be proclaimed (RM 37.c/1). The Pontiff sees these as cultural areas and not as human settlements. The first Areopagus of the modern age is the world of communications, which is unifying humanity and turning it into what is known as a "global village. (RM 37.c/2). It is not meant merely to strengthen the preaching of the Gospel; but explains the Pope There is a deeper reality involved here: since the very evangelization of modern culture depends to a great extent on the influence of the media (ibidem). We will return to this point. There are many other forms of the "Areopagus" in the modern world [] for example, commitment to peace, development and the liberation of peoples; the rights of individuals and peoples, especially those of minorities; the advancement of women and children; safeguarding the created world. These too are areas which need to be illuminated with the light of the Gospel. (RM 37.c/3). Preaching is called upon to enlighten these subjects with the light of the Gospel. We must also mention the immense "Areopagus" of culture, scientific research, and international relations which promote dialogue and open up new possibilities (RM 37.c/4). The challenges for the ministry of preaching in the new millennium affect first of all the contents. On this subject the Decree Presbyterorum Ordinis contains the criteria for authentic effectiveness: they are relying not on their own wisdom for it is the word of Christ they teach (PO 4/1). These are key words in which the echo of Saint Pauls warning not to falsify Gods words can be heard: For we are not like the many who trade on the word of God; but as out of sincerity, indeed as from God and in the presence of God, we speak in Christ (2 Cor 2, 17). The verb kapleein, which the CEI Bible translates as trading, in addition to this meaning also signifies falsifying, changing (food for example). The contrast that the Apostle establishes between this way of behaving and his own sincere way clearly indicates he second as preferable, since he does not seem to be criticising behaviour that involves asking for money for preaching, but rather the falsification of the goods on offer, in this specific case the Word of God. If he really spreads the Word of God, then preaching becomes speaking as if from God in Christ, and hence with words in which Gods strength also acts. One therefore understands the extent to which the teachings of the Councils Constitution entitled Dei Verbum are correct: Therefore, like the Christian religion itself, all the preaching of the Church must be nourished and regulated by Sacred Scripture (DV 21). Speaking as if moved by God in Christ takes place especially in the preaching that is part of the liturgical acts. On this too the Council expressed a clear criteria: draw its content mainly from scriptural and liturgical sources, and its character should be that of a proclamation of God's wonderful works in the history of salvation, the mystery of Christ, ever made present and active within us, especially in the celebration of the liturgy (SC 35, 2). The homely must support the Holy Spirits influence over all the faithful taking part in the celebration allowing them to draw from the mystery of the present and operative Christ. This is the work of the Spirit described by the Catechism of the Catholic Church: By means of the words, actions, and symbols that form the structure of a celebration, the Spirit puts both the faithful and the ministers into a living relationship with Christ, the Word and Image of the Father, so that they can live out the meaning of what they hear, contemplate, and do in the celebration. (CCC 1101). The new challenges, and also the new opportunities for reintroducing the ministry of preaching in situations required by the new millennium, in addition to loyalty to Gods Word, also consist in following this other criteria provided by the Decree Presbyterorum Ordinis: But priestly preaching is often very difficult in the circumstances of the modern world. In order that it might more effectively move men's minds, the word of God ought not to be explained in a general and abstract way, but rather by applying the lasting truth of the Gospel to the particular circumstances of life. (PO 4/1). Awareness of these circumstances does not only derive from the preachers personal experience or the people he meets. Cognitive horizons are far broader, and he must make use of culture and science. On this subject too the Councils teachings are of great importance: The experience of past ages, the progress of the sciences, and the treasures hidden in the various forms of human culture, by all of which the nature of man himself is more clearly revealed and new roads to truth are opened, these profit the Church, too. For, from the beginning of her history she has learned to express the message of Christ with the help of the ideas and terminology of various philosophers, and and has tried to clarify it with their wisdom, too. Her purpose has been to adapt the Gospel to the grasp of all as well as to the needs of the learned, insofar as such was appropriate. Indeed this accommodated preaching of the revealed word ought to remain the law of all evangelization (GS 44/2). The ministry of preaching does not require preachers to be an expert in all subjects determining consistently the current cultural and social context, but they are required to have an openness of the spirit and receive updated information that is not superficial but a deep one. The new areopagi emphasise this need. John Paul II emphasised this regards to the world of communication, that he saw as the first Areopagus of modern times: it is not enough to use the media simply to spread the Christian message and the Church's authentic teaching. It is also necessary to integrate that message into the "new culture" created by modern communications. This is a complex issue, since the "new culture" originates not just from whatever content is eventually expressed, but from the very fact that there exist new ways of communicating, with new languages, new techniques and a new psychology (RM 37.c/2). Preachers cannot remain extraneous to this cultural world. The Pontiff continued saying: Pope Paul VI said that "the split between the Gospel and culture is undoubtedly the tragedy of our time, and the field of communications fully confirms this judgment. (ibidem). Preachers must be aware of this. Prof. Monsignor Antonio Miralles Santa Croce Pontifical University Videoconference, September 29th 2005 pagina 4 "vx.An6IR S 1JaKLxph`XPH@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jt 5 8 9 ""))))X*u*w*~**********~F@@ T @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zk 8^([%*5*X*~************** h`titoli'F_%9r  7x $)* "$** Tms Rmn `Symbol HelvTimes New RomanTimesTimes New Roman CETimes New Roman CyrTimes New Roman GreekTimes New Roman TurTimes New Roman (Hebrew)Times New Roman (Arabic)Times New Roman BalticTimes New Roman (Vietnamese) Times CE Times CyrTimes Greek Times TurTimes (Hebrew)Times (Arabic)Times BalticTimes (Vietnamese) #)!"7A™"4Dobbiamo fare prove continuo... ...ayuda1