4589_Whispering the Gospel to the soul of Asia
Salesian Mission Day 2018 starts on Christmas
December 23, 2017
EAO, 23 December 2017 -- AustraLasia offers to the its readers the reflection of the His Excellency Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil, SDB Archbishop Emeritus of Guwahati as an Invitation to a deeper encounter with Jesus in 2017 Christmas.
"It was in the Asian Synod of 1998 that I used the phrase 'Whispering the Gospel to the Soul of Asia' for the first time. Several Asian bishops came to thank me for the expression during the coffee-break. Later others too joined. I used the phrase on another occasion to conclude an article of mine on the evangelization of Asia. I received words of appreciation precisely for that phrase from persons I never knew: in Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh....
... when I drafted that intervention for the Asian Synod of 1998 I meant a missionary’s closeness to his people. All those who dealt successfully with large numbers sought to be close to people: individuals and communities. That gave them great persuasive power. Mahatma Gandhi was close to his people, to individuals and groups. His relationships were always warm and intimate. Mother Teresa had a singular ability of making everyone she met feel that she belonged to him/her. That is why even a whisper from her mattered. President Clinton said that no one in modern times had stung the conscience of the world as she had done. Princess Diana would bend deep like a little girl to listen to Mother’s ‘whispers...
...The aspect of 'depth' is as important as the quality of intimacy. Asians esteem depth no matter what persuasion you belong to. While depth has reference to the content of the discussion, it also has reference to the personality of the communicator, the quality of the relationship, the unction of the style of communicating. It points to the intimacy a communicator has with own his/her real ‘self’ as well. In Indian spirituality, pursuit of the ‘self’ is one of the highest goals. If the communicator is close to his own ‘superficial self’ the content and style of his communication will also reflect that. But if he is often with his ‘deeper self’, the profounder dimension of his/her person, when he communicates a message, he wins attention.
I am tempted to believe that the very phrase 'Whispering the Gospel to the Soul of Asia' was the utterance of the collective psyche of Asia. It was not an artificially constructed strategy of anyone after much study and elaborate discussion. It sprang up spontaneously as the Asian Church was gathered in Rome for the most important event in its recent history. It holds the formula for the future of evangelical work in Asia."
May this leit-motif of the Salesian Mission Day 2018 - 'Initial Proclamation and Vocation Training Centers in Asia' help us to enter the depth of God becoming one with us on this Christmas days of 2017! The materials of the SMD 2018 are still not yet translated in English. If you like to help us, contact the Australasia editor!
Full text of Archbishop Thomas reflection (part of the 2018 SMD)
