By Father Peter Choy Wai-man
Jesus entrusted a mission to his disciples before his ascension: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” [Matthew 28:18-20]. This has always been understood by the Church as a mission to preach the gospel, to convert the people and to expand the Church.
However, in places where Christians are in the minority or where inter-religious relations are tense, such a narrow missionary mandate can easily lead to the rejection of Christians or to violent conflicts in the name of religion. For this reason, Pope Francis has reminded the faithful on many public occasions that the Church’s missionary work is not to formulate strategies to increase the number of baptisms, but rather to attract people to come to Christ through the witness of the real life of Christians.
There are six major religions in Hong Kong, and their relationship has always been one of mutual respect and peaceful co-existence, and freedom of religion has all along been protected by the law. However, the number of Catholics has not grown significantly since the 1970s, and has remained at about five per cent of the population for many years. What are the reasons for the stagnation?
Some people think that the Church needs to step up its efforts and put more resources into organising evangelical style meetings, or encouraging lay people to bring their friends and relatives, who do not yet know about the faith, to participate in the Church’s activities. Perhaps these are effective ways to promote the gospel. However, as Pope Francis suggests, in places where Christians are in the minority, a more effective way to evangelise is to tell the story of Jesus through the witness of Christian life in word and deed, so that people are drawn to the gospel and are converted.
Jesus was a successful preacher in his day. He told the story of the Kingdom of Heaven through parables and his own personal witness. Jesus pointed out that it is a place where all people are welcome. Whether they are sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors, or minorities rejected by mainstream society, they all find a place in the Kingdom of Heaven. For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a king giving a wedding banquet for his son, to which all are invited, good and bad. If someone is eventually turned away, it is only because he was not dressed in wedding clothes.
The Kingdom of Heaven is a place where everyone is valued and respected, and where the inner voices of those who meet Jesus are heard. It is a place of compassion, understanding and forgiveness, where everyone can learn and grow together. The Kingdom of Heaven is also a place of love, where everyone can be open and honest with each other and build relationships based on trust and respect. In this kingdom, everyone can be true to themselves and find acceptance, understanding and love.
Jesus fulfilled this seemingly unattainable dream by forgiving sinful women, visiting the homes of sinners, accepting tax collectors as disciples, failing to observe the Sabbath law for the purpose of healing the sick and giving grace, and finally dying on the cross.
Therefore, one cannot help but ask: “Who is this man? Why is his teaching more authoritative than that of a scribe?” And the answer came from a centurion who was deeply moved by the sufferings of Jesus: “This man is truly the Son of God!”
Perhaps what the Church in Hong Kong needs to improve its missionary work today is not so much the preaching of the gospel, but the powerful witness of the lives of believers, so that people will again be attracted to the Kingdom of Jesus and sincerely recognise him as the Son of God.
