Bishop Tagle keynotes Mission Summit
summit January 9th, 2009
“Who is my absolute value?” This was the personal question that Bishop Chito Tagle of the Diocese of Imus, posed to the summit participants as he gave his keynote talk on the morning of January 9, Friday.
Bishop Tagle related the journey of the mission in Asia with that of St. Paul, whose jubilee year we are celebrating. He said that St. Paul’s encounter with Jesus changed the apostle’s fundamental beliefs. St. Paul came to believe that resurrection is real and that therefore it is right to call Jesus Lord — Lord of all. According to Bishop Tagle, these are the things that we as missionaries should bring with us as we go on mission.
Because of the changes in St. Paul, everything became “relativized by Christ.” “Nothing is absolute in Christ; Christ is the ultimate value,” Bishop Tagle summed up. He added that mission ad gentes is therefore more than work or activity: it is experiencing Jesus as absolute value. And therefore, the missionary journey begins as an internal one, “Who is my absolute value?”
Bishop Tagle explained that the mission orientation of the church in Asia is for the local church to be the main missionary agent, and not just the ordained or the religious. The mode, on the other hand, should be appropriate in the context of persecution and should fundamentally be a dialogue of life. The bishop cited three important emphases of the dialogue of life: the dialogue with the poor, with religions and with cultures. He then told the story of Gemma who was inspired by the happiness she saw in the Christians working in a hospital in Korea. The witness of joy became Gemma’s first catechism which made her want to know Christ. Bishop Tagle said that this is what we mean when we say that mission is done in the mode of dialogue.
An open forum followed the bishop’s talk. The morning session closed after Fr. Carmelo and Fr. Bruno along with the Superior General, Fr. Giorgio Nalin, handed a token of appreciation to Bishop Tagle.
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The presence of one of the acclaimed Filipino bishop and if I may say it, a theologian in his own right, is really a sign of God’s presence and approval in the summit. Bishop Chito Tagle’s sharing was really, a very inspiring and challenging invitation not only for the family of the rogationists but also for all those who are present there. He united the summit together with what the whole Mother Church celebrates: the Jubilee of St. Paul. A experience that is worth treasuring indeed!
As Bishop Tagle ask “Who is your absolute value?”
I would answer it as Jesus is my “Ultimate Concern”
Why is this so?
Because Jesus is the one that we hold on to.
Without Jesus in our life
Life is misserable.
It is also a question that should i asked myself “who is my absolute value?”
Bishop Tagle gives inspiration not only to the summit of the rogationist, but also to me as a postulant of the Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate. His question of “who” needs an answer pertaining to a person. In that sense i would answer the person whom i seek in my vocation. Jesus is the God whom i give my absolute value in my life.