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MISIONARYSPITUALIYINMCONTEXWhenaskdtoshareonwhatmisonaryspirtualityisnmycontexitbcameparentomethaIdtohrewittrsyperlexnce.ThalglsodbcwrofwiquImiigthiti.AttiIrtfulnflhurdtIamvingtisoprtunitatlbroadmyxprincebyhainwitherstofy.InhegospelacrdtMkwheJsuclehistwelvaostlitstedatcet.tobithi,bestotpritg.(Mk.3:14).TismntctvrywlwtIhavtoar,bwitJuicntrltbeingabltogutdsharfuitsoftheexperienceofhavingmetJesustheChrist.ThusmionaryspirtualityfolingfromtheabovthenrfstouchingpeolwithesageofCrt,withegodnewsfthesplinsucwaytheyatbutcangdfromthinide.Wtihprtrfrmdtdsirsrittwtheyhavereceived.ThispersonaltouchofChristshouldbringaboutchangeinaperson.Eachpersonthrfoiscaledtoasonhateyhavreciv.ButfirstanforemtheindivualherslforimselntbftefofJsubspndgiewhLd,fgfrottbtaprryhLr;itScriptr,EharistndltprviplwiGodlv.AcodigtoWdsinthCrisandioitulyirointethins:it.rteintheSrituresanprtcularyiteGels.Scnd,ptualtosarotdervfmabsrctheorybutfromattemptstoliveoutgospelvaluesinapositiveyetcriticalwaywithinspecifichistoricalandcltrlcotexs.Third,txprinaisightofindivulngrupsarnotiltedbutredthwiCsiantdtosfbelf,praciesacomitylife.(Wds198:0;quotedbyLabonte2000:10-11).)ThisunderstandingbringsoutthreeelementsthatIthinkarecrucialformissionaryspirituality.ThefirstelmntetiondisthaoftheScriptures,particulrytheGospel.AsIhavemntioedaboveJsuofhGpellivngsonwhimboswdirtodtrughitingadrigitScritursdaydnywherntuniyrs.Tplhteadeoisflowehperlcart;uigphraselikFlowe,(Mk.1:7),Cot(Mk.1:28)andiconsqueitsofirtctwshdknhiandwathis.ThcmunityIgruihaohdelxyofvingprietvrySuyterfteChrisCthliftwfnanbuildtheuoftsciptesthecomuniygattowrsp.TseplfithtirmiihLordaovrWrdthwbrkenadred.hiugroGsowfndstenainthpnalmeetingwithJesusoftheScriptures,especiallytheGospels,andthecommunitygatheredtogether.Thescondelmntisthaofthelivdexprinceofthepole.Livngthegospelvaluesinapoitvytritcalwyinspcfstoicaldulralcntxshlpsthowrootedthegospelmessageisintheirhearts.Thehistoricalandculturalcontextofthepeopledemandsthaeplsendtietogther,aringtheupsnowsflie.Tenoflie.Thsenfcomunityhlplcntwtoaother.TibngthcasBibcaxpriocommunitylifeasexpressedintheActsoftheApostlesasawayinwhichpeoplelivedtheirspiritualityisfoundtobeappealingtopeoplewhosewayoflifeisbasedonacommunitarianoutlook.Thiswayoflifealsoaddressedadeepneed;aSenseofbelonging.Africancommunitiesliveandfindtheirbeinginknowigtheyblongtaprticulargoupfeopl.SetiloanedorsandfirmsJohnMbitwhochasDscridim′IbelnthrfIm.Blgiithetadescefbei(Stila1986:0).Belnixdbyndthfiy,cl,rib.AurandheartofalllifethereisGod,thecreatorandgiverofalllife.ThissenseofGodpervadingallaspectsoflifeisimportanttonoteasitmeansthatalloflifeareameanstogetintouchwithGodandexperiencethelovandcreofGd.Thisenofbelngi,Ithink,isalothecntreofmisonaryspirtulity.CtiganuertadigadvromewchtGsplvalusrptdacfhlvxpricofplwhtyoteyrwlomdcefrwhotearndotwhtyr.Atsmetiindstbaknoledgthlueswhicharenytegselmsagendobetifnprmtnrhandwhatisctrthplhoulalidaisc.Tospelsgedtospeakoointirdytyifeanchlgtheratiosaitrctitonanother.Itcanbesnthaspirtualityconersthwolefhumanlife;itmbracesonetirbeingviwedirmofcioeshipwiGd,inJsCrist,hrougthidwligofhHolySpirt
andwithnacomunityofbelivrs(Labonte20:1).TheprsonpsedbytheHolySpritsfulofGdhsaprsnaltihipaedstobctalyourisatimeandteritbeidthCrinspiritualityisincarnational,rootedinChristandinthescriptures,iaksflinolotgit,clengin''Christnigtheirctndcultrs(Lbont20:14).Tprescfhisaolybeovedtbavoundatiosfhoewhelivadithwaythreltchtr.HaigrcivdtprsfChrt.adiscpfChristobligionfprdingfithtbstofhis[e]bilty(LG#17)Chritbeingmadenifestamtheoleisomewxpredinomfthegroupsthapeopleform;gatheringofthedifferentwomengroupsthatformSodalitiesinordertobeinvolvedintheChurchandcommunitynotasindividualsbutasgroups;theyouthgroupsthatexists,childrenofMary;alexprsionfpeolsfaithinawythateyusandeachotertgrowandevlopasChristian.InformingthesegroupshopefullyChristisbeingbornintheheartsofallpeoplesothattheymaychangetobeingbetterpeople.AsawholeAfricanpeolarevryspirtual.Theirspirtualityisbaedonthewolsytemoflivng:itibdthultrlu,mbosndatdeofArics.Africapirtualigsbeydprvtxpri.Idthidfrivtxrincili.TAfcnwrliisholisc,integat,interpnet,cne.Nops,amorthingexistisolti.ThrnylfbicotoG(thSuremBeig)teacor(hevgdea),tohumaitdttur.(Labt20:14)AlactivoflirtudbytlixprincfGod.InordertounderstandthewayinwhichadAfricanrelatesoneneedstounderstandthatalloflifeisone;plnts,aimls,nturelofcretionrenectd.Thisnerstanigisomehwteaudrdgthipoaydinhsciptus,aloflicrtdodticndite.TePtcstxpriwtprvtexpicbutplvt,rswitnesthtransforatinhklae;imlryheuhdbySirtfGaretobileinthefiretheyhavefromwithin.Thisbringsianimportanelmntetiondabove,thaofchalengioneslfandoescultre.DotbgchlgsAfricasprulityisdnutrlvlu,ymbl,tmandatiude.Soeftsdtobdmmsgfpl.HwvrhiolybnwhnplavelweChritobernitheirarts,loedhitoecprtftheirlivesandisabletotouchitatalllevels.ThetirdpointmetiondaboveisthatexpriencsadinsightofindivualsndgroupsarenotisolaburlathwirCrinraditofblief,praciescomitylif.ThismprtttbcustlcluchwrprtlflgChriritwtlnghisory.Aspeoldicoverthirfitginhirltionhipwitsteonedoreaitatarjingalngadonfpeolobevdaveardirblifithotr.Beingwthsmuityaithurjryisrtdclofwhatshpithisoryftechrrisptfrmlhoshveliefaitbefore.MisonaryspirtualityinpeolxpresthedpesirandfirethaisfoundathecorfeachperbechevmtChitaprson,ahvforltipwiim,tirsthmtotdsrirrincfwtbrcivwihers.AtLukrogaCaltoSevwtrgetlypelandgestmabicfondatiointely.Hvingrecivhatyhavoholrmtocktoruesandshrewhtyrcidinlpinbuidthcoui.Thisprgelythfoutiotapolnedioertgitecfenedtgutathirfaitwiothers.TheformatinofSCsinaseonewayoftryingtoexprsthispirtualityofbrthersandsitiChrstryigtoerichothriihadlstyingoelchelivliftoiful.Hwev,dGplSig,txivfttr.SCayoflifahristanmuntysbaeoncriptureadsmwtsmogwelincommunitiesthatarealsocommunitarianbynature.Thisdoenotexcludetheothercommunities.
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