KNOWING GOD: IS IT POSSIBLE ? | KAIROS GLOBAL | NOVEMBER 2019

Author: Manoj Sunny & Rojo James

Intro: Manoj Sunny furnishes a report on the International meeting, “Knowing God: is it possible”, organized by the Council for promoting New Evangelisation, and attended by ten Jesus Youths.

The international meeting on the theme, “Knowing God: Is it Possible? Ways of New Evangelisation” was organised by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of New Evangelization, marking the ninth year of the constitution of the council. Jesus Youth had the largest delegation from a single movement - 10 of us participated in this International meeting. The meeting was remarkable in the spectrum of topics handled by the various experts – ranging from theologians and philosophers (one of them a convert from Buddhism to Catholicism), to a journalist, film director, researcher (former atheist) and psychiatrist among others. The conference was mainly addressed to the Western world where, in the words of Archbishop Rino Fisichella, “God is not denied but he is not just known”.

The meeting covered topics relating to the core of our being, and painted a God-centric view of our human existence.  The current situation of God being “unknown” in today’s society and the phenomenon of religious indifference serves as the backdrop for the “new evangeliser”.  Even if God is being denied today, He is not at all hidden. The longing for God finds its expression in the common activities of daily life, and when God nourishes us, we experience the first feel of transcendence. It is difficult to miss God in our pursuit for beauty and perfection, since He is the origin of all order and beauty.  The sense of awe and wonder which a believer experiences in the face of the mystery of God is also the origin of reason and scientific research. We need to develop a habit of fidelity and docility to truth and not limit searching for truth in the temporal things of the world; we need to expand our horizons to the one who said, “I am the light, the way and the truth.” This Godly wisdom and experience cannot be shared with others without a proper encounter with our fellow beings and sharing in the thirst of Jesus for souls. We should allow the Gospel to touch us again and prepare ourselves to give a reason for the hope which is found only in the Risen Lord. When things appear bleak in today’s world, we need to have a new vision which the Holy Spirit gives us just as God showed Elijah the seven thousand Israelites who were faithful to God (1 Kings 19:18). 

We need more of allowing the Holy Spirit to act than of waiting for the best opportunity to come. We are called to become living signs of the Love we proclaim by approaching those in need, building bridges, serving those who suffer, caring for the poor, “anointing with patience” those who are close to us, comforting those who are discouraged, and blessing those who harm us. One of the most inspiring sharing was by Mr. Juan Manuel Cotelo - a Spanish film director and actor, about how he discovered God in his 40’s during the shooting of a film.  He couldn’t hold himself back from God after learning about the God encounter that many others whom he interviewed had had in their lives. He urged us not to treat God as a “secret lover”, but to let Him “out of our doors” and let others see us walking together with God. He also shared his experience during a flight journey where he was tired and didn’t want to talk about Jesus but his fellow traveller started sharing about God, which culminated in a group prayer time during the course of the journey. Concerning evangelisation, he used Nike’s ad campaign “Just do it”, exhorting us not to wait for a better time or context. 

Pope Francis addressed the conference on the last day and spoke to us about how to make the hearts of men and women of our times burn like those of the disciples at Emmaus. Many, he said, have the desire of God within, but are unable to recognize His closeness, as it happened with the disciples at Emmaus. The challenge, therefore, is of making the heart “burn”.  For many, the Pope pointed out, the Church is a cold memory of the past, with many in the West feeling it does not understand them and their needs.  Some consider it as too weak in relation to the world, while others consider it too powerful in the face of great poverties of the world. But what one should really be worried about, the Pope said, is a worldly Church that follows the world’s criteria of success, forgetting that it exists not to proclaim itself, but Jesus.  Thus, it ends up being more of a museum piece than a simple and happy home of the Father.  It is a temptation to be like a museum where everything is in the right place. Pope Francis challenged us to be the living signs of our encounter with Jesus. He said the Church is asked to proclaim this: “God is love. Jesus Christ loves you, He gave His life to save you, and now He is alive at your side every day". It is from this that Christian life develops.

MY TAKEAWAY

The meeting in Rome was a unique experience as it touched upon the various facets of human existence and provided an opportunity to listen to experts from different areas of life. It was amazing to know how people from different walks of life, ranging from philosophers to researchers could find their way to the ultimate truth. It helped me to develop a sense ofappreciation for the normal things of life and to look beyond the obvious. The coherence of the approach of a scientific researcher and a Christian meditating on the mystery of God with awe and wonder, helped me to bridge the gap between faith and reason.  Apart from the intellectually stimulating sessions, the meeting challenged me to allow the Gospel to touch me again and to share this experience with others in a “just do it” style.  It also convinced me of the need to witness to the hope of the Risen Lord, through a joyful living and proclamation of the Gospel truth. There were many moments during the programme when we found our “hearts burning” just like the disciples at Emmaus, not to mention the personal audience with the Pope.

Rojo James

Manoj Sunny, the first National and International Coordinator of Jesus Youth is presently serving as the International Director of Formation in Jesus Youth Rojo James is currently working in Germany and is a former National coordinator of JY Germany