A New and Everlasting Covenant.
Back in Jesus’ day, it was the Jewish custom that when a boy and girl wanted to marry, the boy and his Father would sit at a table with the girl and her Father, and a discussion would take place to negotiate a price for the Bride. In the centre of the table would be placed a cup of wine.
To put it into context, the price for the Bride would be something like the price of buying a house today.
Once the deal had been struck, the boy would lift the cup of wine and offer it to his bride. If she took the cup and drank, that was the sign that she accepted him as her future husband.
The offering of the cup was symbolic of the boy offering his life to his beloved.
Now, have a think about the words ‘take this all of you and drink of it, this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, that will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins…’
This is Jesus’ promise to us, His beloved. He offers us himself, to be wedded to us eternally in a relationship incomparable to any other. Pure and perfect Love. Love that yearns for us, aches for us. Love that was willing to die for our freedom, for our salvation. So that we may have life……eternally.
MISSION
How does this relate to the Mission of the church – Our Mission.
A love so pure and perfect, a love that continues to consistently transform millions of lives, a love that has the power to change the entire world, cannot be kept to ourselves. Jesus himself told us ‘go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News’ Mk 16:15. But how do we do it, especially in this day and age when society seems to be so far from the Gospel? (Undeniably, and it’s not hard to see the chaos and confusion that has moved in to take up the space).
The answer is simple; keep it simple, just one soul at a time.
Jesus, our ‘Rabboni’ has given us the blueprint of how to go about it. Jesus took the existing customs of the day and gave them a new depth, new meaning, a deep profundity and offered everlasting hope.
We the baptised, his disciples must do the same.
Today’s society is incredibly diverse, and subjective. The Good News however is unchanging, as necessary for human flourishing and eternal salvation as it has ever been. Evangelism is at first base, about opening the heart to receive perfect love. Like Jesus, we must look to see what is already present and give new depth, new meaning, a deep profundity and offer everlasting hope, Jesus Himself.
One soul at a time, the missionary heart, transformed by Christ’s love, seeks the lost, those without hope, those who may never have been offered the chalice, who have refused the chalice or who simply deny the existence of the chalice. The missionary heart knows that Jesus is the truth, the answer, the alpha and the omega the solution to all our ills. It is through him and in him that we live and move and have our being. It is Jesus – the Word – the Logos that gives meaning to the deepest mysteries of our human condition, our existence, our experience of life with all its challenges. And we are given the choice to live in harmony with the good and correct order of His being or to break away – detach from the vine- do our own thing and live with the consequences. The missionary heart wants to share this Good News and even if a person is not ready to accept, cannot hear or see in that moment, trusts that in time, by the continued nurture of the Holy Spirit the planted seeds will begin new life because God will never cease while there is breath in our bodies, to reach into our lives for our rescue.
Soul Listening.
The key to sharing the Good News today is two-fold. We must learn to listen anew and to call upon the Holy Spirit, who will alert us when to speak and what to say.
We listen first to understand a person’s situation, their perspective, their experiences, their values, who is important in their lives, how they have formed their opinions, how they deal with the challenges of life. We listen in order to respond, rather than to react. We are vigilant to read body language pick up facial expressions that accompany their words. We listen for fears, patterns, and repeated phrases. We listen for changes in tone of voice, volume, rapidity of speech and repeated phrases. We simultaneously ask the Holy Spirit to prompt us when there is a question that needs to be asked to uncover something important. In short, we assimilate the whole person whilst silently calling upon the Holy Spirit to give us the moment that we can speak into what we have heard and introduce this soul to Jesus. We listen first so that what we share relates directly to that person’s life in that moment and makes rational sense to them. The seeds are thus planted, and the divine transforming power of the Gospel is released into the person’s life.
Soul listening is the pinnacle of ‘accompaniment’ because the intention is to walk with them to Jesus. It is synodality at its optimal level because it necessitates moment by moment communion with and discernment of the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Soul Listening requires a response that is always in the best interest of the other, without ever separating love from truth. How can you know this? You have to step into it – ‘taste and see that the Lord is good’ pslm 34:8
If you would like to hear real stories of evangelisation and the transforming power of the Gospel happening right here in your diocese, please listen here
https://podcast.genesismission.co.uk/
To learn Soul Listening, have a Soul Listening workshop in your parish or to take part in our Diocesan Missionary Formation which renew your faith and equip you inspire others to receive Jesus. Please contact Jonathan.bielawski@prcdtr.org.uk