Christocentricity of Catechesis
Jesus Christ Is The Centre Of Salvation History
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
In the beginning, God the Father already has Jesus Christ in His salvation plan for man. In Genesis, it already showed a repetitive pattern of man sinning against God, hence, God’s punishment, and led to God’s salvation plan for man. This ultimately brought out the key message of God’s infinite love and mercy for man and His preparation for the salvation, through Jesus Christ. “From the beginning until ‘the fullness of time’, Word and Spirit remains hidden, but it is at work. God’s Spirit prepares for the time of the Messiah” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 702).
Even when man continued to sin against God and disrespected Him, even until today, because we were all made in God’s image, after His likeness (Genesis 1:26) and because of God’s infinite love and mercy for man, He offered a covenant with man and promised eternal salvation through the Messiah, so man could live an eternal life. Just as St Catherine of Siena said, “Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind” (CCC 313).
Therefore, the primordial mission of the Church is to make known “the true face of God and His loving plan of salvation for man, as it has been revealed in Jesus Christ” (General Directory for Catechesis 23) and “culminates in Christ” (CCC 280). This is the heart of the message of salvation, the mystery of Christ, that God became one of us and love us enough to die for us on the cross. It procured a “short cut” for us to salvation (CCC 518) and only by that believing “you may have life in His name” (CCC 514).
At The Heart Of Catechesis, We Find A Person, Jesus Christ
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
Since Jesus Christ is the “centre of salvation history” (GDC 98), it is profoundly important that all authentic catechesis must be Christocentric (Catechesi Tradendae 5), as stressed in Pope St John Paul II’s Apostolic Exhortation, Catechesi Tradendae. It is only through Christ, “a Person, the Person of Jesus of Nazareth” (CT 5) that man can reach eternal salvation, for He is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). This priority and emphasis on Jesus Christ has also been clearly articulated in the scriptures that “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12) and that name is Jesus Christ, who is the heart of catechesis (CT 5).
Therefore, what we teach in catechesis must be centred around Christ, it must be “completely tied to Him” (GDC 98). We must present Christ in our teaching and everything in relation to Him. Otherwise, it is not Catholic if it is not Christocentric.
The Mysteries Of Christ
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14)
As expressed by our great catechist, St Paul, the mystery of Christ is “the primary and essential object of catechesis” (CT 5). Christ’s whole life is a mystery, “from the swaddling clothes of his birth to the vinegar of his Passion and the shroud of his Resurrection, everything in Jesus’ life was a sign of His mystery” (CCC 515). It is only through the understanding of the mystery of Christ: His life, His actions, His words, the signs worked by Him, as well as growing in communion and intimacy with Him that we may share in life of the Holy Trinity. It is only Jesus Christ who can lead us to the love of the Father through the Spirit (CT 5). Therefore, it is the task for catechists to lead the catechumen into an understanding of the mystery of Christ and develop a relationship with Him. “We must continue to accomplish in ourselves the stages of Jesus’ life and His mysteries” for this is “His plan for fulfilling His mysteries in us” (CCC 521).
The richness of the mysteries of Christ began with His incarnation, from conception to birth, when “Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Jesus Christ is the “Word of God” (GDC 98), “the Incarnate Word and Son of God” (CT 6). Everything that Jesus taught is the Truth, who is also the Truth Himself (John 14:6), for His teaching is not from Him but from the one who sent Him (John 7:16). It is God’s will that all man may have salvation through the knowledge of the Truth – Jesus Christ – for “salvation is found in the Truth” (CCC 851). This is also the meaning of Christocentricity that “the Gospel message does not come from man, but is the Word of God” (GDC 98). Jesus Christ is the main source in which catechesis draw its message from and for the teaching to be an authentic Christocentric catechesis. “Catechesis will always draw its content from the living source of the word of God transmitted in Tradition and the Scriptures” (GDC 94).
Christ The Teacher – The One Teacher
“You call me teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am” (Matthew 23:8)
Jesus had been called a “Teacher” throughout the New Testaments (CT 7). He is “the perfect man” and presented himself as our model in all of his life (CCC 520). God the Father also told us specifically in the Gospel to listen to Jesus, “this is my beloved son; listen to Him” (Mark 9:7). He is the one “Teacher”, the “teacher come from God” (John 3:2), who was “teaching everywhere and at all times, teaching in a manner and with an authority previously unknown” (CT 7). Even Jesus gave witness to Himself in the Gospel that day after day, He sat in the temple teaching (Matthew 26:55).
It is important that the catechists oblige to transmit what Jesus teaches “without in any way changing His thought” (GDC 98). This is also the key intention in a Christocentric catechesis that is to transmit the authentic teaching of Jesus Christ. “It is Christ alone who teaches” (CT 6) and the one teacher that we are allowed to teach.
Therefore, it is crucial for the catechists to remember that we are just Jesus Christ’s representatives on earth, “Christ’s spokesman” (CT 7), who are transmitting His teaching. Our task is that we don’t teach our opinion nor our agenda but only Christ’s teaching. Just as St Paul said, “What I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you” (1 Corinthians 11:23).
Teaching “Jesus Christ”
“The transmission of the Christian faith consists primarily in proclaiming Jesus Christ in order to lead others to faith in Him.” (CCC 425)
We teach not only what Jesus Christ taught us but also to teach “Jesus Christ,” as the whole of Christ’s life was a continual teaching (CT 9): His mysteries, His words, His prayer, His love, His action, His miracles, His gestures, His parables etc. As suggested by St Paul, teaching from the crucifix is the best training aid that we have available as all we need to proclaim is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). The crucifix is a sign of suffering, great love, an image of Christ teaching, that He will love us even when we crucify Him by our sins. The crucifix is a sign of God’s love for all of us. He is willing to undergo the Passion out of love for us. God became one of us and love us enough to die for us on the cross. This is the heart of the message of salvation. “Hence for Christians the crucifix is one of the most sublime and popular images of Christ the Teacher” (CT 9).
It is our goal to teach Jesus Christ, to introduce the catechumen to the one “Teacher,” lead them into a relationship with Him and deepen their relationship with Him so He becomes their teacher Himself. They must be taught to walk in His footsteps, be transmitted in His attitudes and undertake the journey of interior transformation so they can be converted and made perfect in Christ (GDC 85). “The definitive aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ” (CT 5). This is our purpose, our mission and the church exists for this reason, that is to deepen our relationship with Jesus Christ on earth and to prepare our souls to spend eternity with Him in heaven.
The Christocentricity Of The Catechist
“Only in deep communion with Him will catechists find light and strength for an authentic, desirable renewal of catechesis.” (CT 9)
In order to proclaim Jesus Christ and lead others to Him, the catechists must first be disciples and in deep communion with Him, for “we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). The catechists must first seek “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus” (CCC 428) before they are able to work in His service. It is necessary for them to possess the Christian faith and this loving knowledge of Christ in them before they would have the desire to proclaim Him and lead others to faith in Him (CCC 425 & 429). It is only through this practicing in faith and personal experience of life in Christ that they are able to share and make disciples in others.
Therefore, the abilities of the catechists in making disciples will be directly related to the depth of their relationship with Jesus Christ. “There cannot be teachers of the faith other than those who are convinced and faithful disciples of Christ and his Church” (GDC 142). This is the key in having the Christocentricity of the Catechists.
Christ’s Final Command
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
This is the last command which Jesus gave to the apostles before His ascension, to teach all nations all that He had commanded us (Matthew 28:20). This is also the core mission of the Church – to make disciples, to help people to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, so that by believing in Him, we might have eternal life (CT 1).
In conclusion, it is only through this authentic Catholic Christocentric catechesis: teaching of Jesus Christ, knowing Him as a person and the one “Teacher”, continue to accomplish in ourselves in the mysteries of His life, developing a deep relationship with Him and in communion with Him that we may have a life and salvation in Jesus Christ, who is the “Lord of eternal life” (CCC 679). The Church exists for this reason, “for it is the plan of the Son of God to make us and the whole Church partake in His mysteries” (CCC 521).
This article was written by Joni Cheng.
Published on O Clarim, July 28, 2017