In all aspects of life, and especially in their witness, Christians are called to follow the example and teachings of Jesus Christ, sharing his love, giving glory and honour to God the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 20:21-23). If Christians engage in inappropriate methods of exercising mission by resorting to deception or coercive means, they betray the gospel and may cause suffering to others. Such departures call for repentance and remind us of our need for God’s continuing grace (cf. Romans 3.23). Christians are called to commit themselves to work with all people in mutual respect, promoting together justice, peace and the common good. Interreligious cooperation is an essential dimension of such commitment.The entire text is excellent and really should be required reading for anyone who wishes to give Christian witness in an increasingly multi-faith (and secular) Canada. Another very helpful resource that I have utilized extensively in my pastoral work in the Church is the first-rate manual and website developed by the National Office of Religious Education (Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), entitled On Good Soil: Pastoral Planning for Evangelization and Catechesis with Adults. Playing off Jesus’ Parable of the Sower (Luke 8), who sows seeds in every type of soil condition and circumstance, On Good Soil presents an in-depth analysis of contemporary “Canadian soil” and offers rich insights and best practices for sowing the seeds of the Gospel in the Canadian reality. Included among the recommendations, evangelizers and catechists are counseled to pay close attention to the many “internal” and “external” challenges facing the Church today. Internal challenges include: relevance, response to the sexual abuse crisis, polarization in the Church, and a lack of transparency. External challenges include: multi-generational perspectives, increased multi-cultural and multi-religious communities, individualism, secularism, and a whole host of other “–isms”, that characterize Canadian society today. Within this whole context, the authors of On Good Soil offer beautiful words of advice for today’s Canadian Catholic evangelists and catechists:
The goal or purpose of our activity must be a sincere desire to show Christ to the world: to make known his love for all people. Authentic witness is not motivated by numbers, nor is it competitive. Christian witness is respectful of the other, and thus does not coerce, threaten or manipulate. The call to respect the other does not mean leaving the explicit proclamation of God and Christ aside, but to know “when it is time to speak of God and when it is better to say nothing and to let love alone speak” (Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, n.31c). [On Good Soil, #36]The rich “soil” of contemporary Canada need not be a place of disappointment, threat, and (certainly not!) hostility for Christians, or between Christians and people of other faiths or persons of no faith. Rather, acknowledging the increased reality and depth of religious and non-religious perspectives that make up the diversity of our country, Canadian Christians can and must be even more intentional about presenting the gospel in ways that show forth the love of Christ for all.