Christianity does not yet exist...

Fr. Livio Tonello, director

For the reflections of this month I draw inspiration from a book of the French theologian Dominique Collin whose provocative title is maybe paradoxical. The resurrection is the centre of Christian life and Pentecost is regarded as the birthday of the Christian church.

But are Christians still faithful to the Gospel? Can we affirm that nowadays people who call themselves Christians are really living the Gospel life? “Sunday Christians” do not follow the Gospel of the Kingdom announced by Jesus. Is his resurrection that we celebrate every Sunday in the Holy Mass still source of life and hope? Throughout the pandemic we have felt lost and during lock down we were not able to attend Sunday Mass and we changed our social behaviour.

For a long time in Europe we have been able to see that there is a weakening of traditions and of Christian? signs? Is the Christian religion declining in the Western world? What meaning does Jesus’ resurrection offer for the world today? Paradoxically the dechristianization can be hailed as a chance if Christians are able to rediscover the real and wonderful message of the Gospel: to hear and to accept the call of the Kingdom of God.

We can only really understand the Gospel by being living witnesses of the Gospel, the light of life and not only being Christians for name sake but becoming Committed Christians following in Word and deed. Nominal Christianity is an institution where people call themselves Christian’s for Namesake and Christ has no bearing in their lives; on the contrary practising Christians are committed to their relationship with God and with his Kingdom, to the worship of God, to their responsibilities from God.

Christianity is not something “concluded” but something we can “reinvent,” growing in the presence of God. A Christians’ vocation is not to consider the Gospel as an “ancient masterpiece” but to reinvent it as the Word that can speak to the heart of the men and women of our times. Christianity does not yet exist because nobody, no church, no philosophical thought can call themselves Christians without admitting that they have still to completely become Christians.

Christianity does not yet exist because what will make it possible depends upon our consciousness of being invited to accept a gift of which we are not the owners. Christianity does not yet exist because it is an event that fully unfolds in human history opening up new perspectives. With? Jesus? Easter a new strength is born and it makes us able to accept Christ’s’ message, the way, the truth and the life and to live it. It depends upon us to make Christianity exist.