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Reflection
 106:   Based on the Vatican II document 
Gaudium et Spes (Church in the world)  
2

 

"The council yearns to explain to everyone
how it conceives of the presence and activity of the Church in the world of today.

Therefore, the council focuses its attention on the world of the whole human family,
that world which is the theater of our history
and the heir of our energies, tragedies and triumphs;

that world which the Christian sees as created and sustained by its Maker's love,
fallen indeed into the bondage of sin,
yet emancipated now by Christ,
who was crucified and rose again to break the stranglehold of personified evil,
so that the world might be fashioned anew according to God's design and reach its fulfillment"

These words show how the Church must love the world,
just as God loves the world

The Church must not run away from the world,
but must seek to "pitch its tent" in the world
just as God the Son "pitched his tent" in the world

"The Word became flesh".
"Flesh" here means the whole mess that is our world,
with all its problems, tragedies etc.

God the Son didn't try to help things from a distance.
He came in person and "lived among us" and shared our troubled life

Where the world is hurting, that's where the Church should be.

Jesus, please help your Church to be where people are hurting,
not just where people are comfortable

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