21 The
Church has introduced its mission in Thailand in the environment
of colonization.
Thai society reacted to this evangelization attempt with
resistance and marginalized the Church, being suspicious
of its linkage with political power. It looked at Christianity
as the culture and religion of foreign powers. Nevertheless,
the Church was conscious of the gift of faith it has received (EA. 10) and started to proclaim the Gospel through its
services and promotion of human dignity with individuals,
most of
whom were marginalized or rejected by society, such as
the poor, the less fortunate, slaves, and so on.
22 Notwithstanding occasional
conflicts and tension with individuals and other religious
groups, the Church has always been firm with its faith
and commitment to carry out its work in education, social
welfare
and health care with grassroots people for the last three
centuries. In this environment, the Church has been able
to establish and maintain good relationship with Thai society,
the government and various groups of other religions. Having
carried out the mission of proclamation of the Gospel with
love, service and humility, the Church became more acceptable
and gained the right and freedom as provided by all constitutions
of the Royal Thai Kingdom.
23 Each
time that modern currents changed the world, the Church has
become part of these
currents to cope with reality and events, while most people
perceived
the Church as the conscience of global society in each
age.
24 Even today, the Church
and Thai society are part of the social current of modernization
in this process of globalization. Thai society is facing
a crisis and searching for true meaning and essential ways
to achieve the balance of relationship in this life. In
order that the Church may be the conscience of Thai society,
organizations
and personnel carrying out different tasks of the Church
are called to come up with answers for what the Church
believes, what she is doing and for whom, what is her goal
and what
are the values that inspire her mission and commitment.
25 In
this situation of challenge, the Church takes pride in the
fact that it belongs to the
same continent of Asia where Jesus was born, lived, died
and rose from the dead. It is fully delighted with the good
news it has received and is aware of the presence and power
of the Holy Spirit dwelling in it. The Church has the Gospel
as its eternal and transcendent asset and Jesus who is "the
way, the truth and the life" (Jn
14:6). The Church is
well aware of its mission entrusted by the Lord and accepts
the challenge to be the leader in reorganizing this confusing
society, relieving sufferings and providing an answer to
problems that Thai society is encountering. It does this
in response to the word of Jesus who said "I am the
vine; you are the branches. If a person remains in me and
I in him, he will bear much fruit: apart from me you can
do nothing.... If you remain in me and my words remain in
you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you" (Jn
15:5,7).
26 While
Thai society is searching for the value of religion to fill
the gap of a full life
and looking at the Church's way of life, it is necessary
for the Church in Thailand to start a new mission of helping
Thai society to achieve its fullness. In so doing, it has
to incarnate itself in a new context of society at all
ages and levels, as the Lord, who has known and loved his
land,
was incarnated in human history. He has loved his people
and shared in all their sufferings, happiness and hopes.
He has maintained the heritage and traditions of the Jews
who were His fellow country people of the time (EA
1).
27 The
Church has to go against the current of temporal values with
humility. This is a
Gospel value. It has to review its attitudes, perception,
roles,
tasks, approaches, and become part of the Thai way of life
and wisdom to fulfill its mission of preaching the good
news and bring Thai society towards salvation.
28 Since
it is necessary for the Church to share in the fate of Thai
society, it has
to renew and discern its lifestyle to avoid being influenced
by modernization imposed by a temporal and inhuman way
of
life. On the contrary, it has to firmly hold on to the
covenant given by Christ who has called it to conversion (Mk 1:15),
so that it can bring the people of God towards his Kingdom,
which is also present in the cultural values of local communities
through the presence of God.
29 Conversion
(metanoia) of the Church means that all its members have
to die to themselves
and be born again to become a new society through a dialogue
of life with the Thai people in the structure of Thai society,
especially dialogue with those who are poor, the diverse
cultures in Thai society and our brothers and sisters of
other faiths. In this way, the Church is giving witness
that the Kingdom of God has already begun here, and will
be complete
only in the future. The Church has to be in dialogue of
life with the people, to become incarnate in each community
waiting
for the good news of Christ, and to give witness to its
mission entrusted by Christ by responding to life situations.
30 In
this context, the Church has to play the following roles
and tasks which are proper
to it:
| (1) The Church has to be the "seed" of the Kingdom of God. This implies
that the Church has to be the source of wisdom and point
of reference so that the Gospel values will dwell in the
life of Christians and all the people. |
| (2) The
Church has to be for the present society a
clear "sign" and
a transparent witness to the Kingdom of God, which has
already
begun and is heading towards a perfect new society to be
achieved in the future. |
| (3) The
Church has to be an "instrument" in the joint
effort of building the Kingdom of God in all dimensions
of human life: relationships
between human beings and God, human beings and fellow human
beings, human beings and creation. |
31 The
Church has reflected on God's plan of creation and on the
redemptive mission
of Jesus Christ, and thus gained a better understanding of
the
signs of the times and the realities in Thai society as
mentioned earlier. It is conscious of the many problems that
human
beings are facing, and realizes the urgency of its commitment
to carry on the plan of creation in the world and to help
people participate in the plan of redemption realized by
Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master.
32 Given
this awareness and commitment, through the light, the power
and the hope inspired
by the Holy Spirit, the Church in Thailand is determined
to formulate a pastoral direction for earnest concerted
action at this opportune moment of the new millennium.
|
