We must be transformed to speak Jesus' truth – archbishop

Archbishop Richard Smith

By GLEN ARGAN
WCR Editor
Edmonton

Catholics today need to speak the truth about Jesus and humanity, but to do that the words of truth need to first take root in our souls, says Archbishop Richard Smith.

"We cannot truly speak those words unless they have taken root within our lives and have transformed us," Smith told a Sept. 6 meeting of Gospel Lights Toastmasters.

Smith congratulated the toastmasters for learning to speak before others and seeking to speak about the Lord.

"That's a tremendously important task today," he said. "Our world will not know about Jesus unless those who follow him, who love him, who serve him, will speak about him."

Credible, attractive

And we should speak about Jesus "in a way that is credible, that is convincing and that is attractive."

To do that, "we must be transformed by the truth that Jesus has revealed," Smith said.

Part of the transformation lies through coming to terms with the truth of the human person as revealed by God, he said. The human person is loved and fashioned by God - "the highest act of God's creating activity."

Yet, at the same time, the human person "is fashioned from dirt." He is finite, limited and dependent, the archbishop said.

Many people today fail to come to terms with this truth and live "as though they are self-reliant, as though today is all that matters, as if 'I count' and no one else really does."

Human beings, he continued, "are created for a relationship with God, are created for eternal communion." On our own, we cannot attain that goal. We need a saviour.

"We need to come to terms with (Jesus') truth."

That has been "a particular focus of Pope Benedict," Smith said. The pope notes that many see Jesus as a prophet or a wonderful human being. But Pope Benedict is clear in emphasizing that Jesus is the Son of God. "He alone can lead us to God."

To be effective witnesses today, our words and actions need to have the same meaning, he said.

The Second Vatican Council pointed out "Jesus spoke in words, but he also spoke in actions. His actions brought forth the deepest meaning of his words and his words brought understanding to the meaning of his actions."

For us, "What we say and what we do need to cohere perfectly to speak the truth that Jesus is."

Body of Christ

The archbishop also warned against setting up a false opposition between Jesus and the Church. The Church should not be seen as a man-made organization, but as the body of Christ. "We need to look at our life in Christ precisely as members of the Church."

Finally, we need to see that being part of the body of Christ is to be part of the mission of the Church, Smith said. Our mission is the transformation of the world in Jesus Christ. "We cannot be shy about that."

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