Word to the Wise
Tuesday, June 12, 2012 - Tuesday in the 10th Week in Ordinary Time
[1 Kgs 17:7-16 and Matt 5:13-16]You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.
A few years ago the American bishops published a document on the importance of parish life under the title: COMMUNITIES OF SALT AND LIGHT. In a way very different from some other cultures, in the United States, the parish remains the basic center for the expression of Catholic faith. The use of the images of salt and light from the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew underscores the vision of the document. Salt and light impact our physical and emotional life in profound ways. I remember reading a book dedicated entirely to the history and impact of salt. Wars were (and still) fought over it! In the Middle East and elsewhere, salt is pounded into animal dung to be used for fire because it is a catalyst for better flames!
I have served as pastor of one neighborhood parish and several campus ministry parishes. I can testify to the way in which a church parish can become the focus of an entire neighborhood or the focus of faith-life for Catholic believers. My current itinerant preaching ministry takes me to parishes of all sizes and settings: urban/rural, rich/poor, large/small. It is clear that parish life is still alive and well. At the same time, there has been a shift from the "neighborhood" notion to a "shop around" notion. This was especially true, in my experience, in the campus ministry centers that I served. There were always a number of people who did not go to the parish within whose boundaries they lived, but rather sought out the campus ministry parish because of the music or preaching or because it would be the only parish they could get their teenage children to attend! This always complicated the task of campus ministry since these "outsiders" expected the kinds of non-liturgical programs and services that a neighborhood parish provided, and which were not really part of campus ministry! [Funerals, for instance!] The "shop around" approach reflects the individualization of American culture. Folks look for a parish that meets "my needs." Registration in the "local" parish cannot be taken for granted by pastors anymore. This creates problems in such matters as baptisms, first communions, confirmations, weddings, funerals etc.. These are based on registered membership!
A good church parish should be a good neighbor in its location. A community of salt and light can be a symbol of hope. When the commitment of those who come on Sunday is limited to liturgical participation, the parish can lose its capacity to "energize" the neighborhood and be a "sign." How this will all play out in our current American cultural environment is hard to say. The increase in Latino membership all over the country means a call for new liturgical and linguistic resources. It is an interesting time to be a pastor! AMEN