Practical Theology: “On Earth as it is in Heaven”.

this is the last reflection of the serie.
Reflection on Session Five.

This last section tries to understand the implications of the following sentence from the book of exodus: “we will do and we will obey.” How can doing, practice, action, or commitment precedes hearing, theory, reflection, or discernment? This question is very relevant in today’s culture that reflection before action. Many people place understanding before believing. Thus doubt not only acquires a positive meaning toward full understanding, but also it becomes a state of life of people afraid to take a definitive decision, a risk, a long-term commitment –such as marriage and religious vowed life. Such commitments so engage the whole life that would change one’s whole life. People today are afraid of mistakes, afraid of the unknown. Also, the postmodern opposition to any absolute truth contributes to this situation. Since people only have opinions, feel that they do not possess all the truth. Consequently, any commitment made out of an opinion is really hazardous. Therefore, how can we understand “we will do and we will obey” in this context? This question is really at the core of what practical theology has to offer to ministerial setting where pastoral theology (action) was viewed as the application of the findings of systematic theology (theory).
Through talmudic interpretation of the scriptures, the text proposes an understanding of this verse. Look Abraham for example. He trusted in the word of God with all the risks that such a move presupposes, left his family and went to an unknown place. It was in this journey of faith that he came to full faith and knowledge of God. His security was not a full knowledge of where he was going, but rather the promise of God. Also, Mary seems a very naïve young girl who pronounced her fiat to the angel without really understanding what such a commitment required. It is afterward that she could understand and meditate or ruminate what she heard in her heart. Look at a baby. Before reflecting on his life, he finds himself living first. It is later on that he will be required to give a meaning to his life.
All these examples show that we need to take the risk of acting in order to achieve full knowledge. This is the idea of saint Anselm’s definition of theology as “faith seeking understanding”. He goes on to pray, “For I do not seek to understand in order to believe but to believe in order to understand. For I believe even this: that I shall not understand unless I believe.” This resembles to the prayer of the father of a possessed son who, when rebuked by Jesus cried out: “I do believe, help my unbelief” (Mk 9:24). This was also the goal of the gospels. They were written for Christian communities that were living already the legacy of Jesus. They were written in order to strengthen and support the faith of the disciples (Lk1:1-4). As Gustavo Gutierrez suggests, spiritual experience is the terrain of theological reflection. Theology is meant to support those in the process of imitatio sequella Christi (“We Drink from our Own Well”, p.35-36). This is what liberation theology calls orthopraxis; theology is praxis-reflection-praxis. The right reflection is one that comes from and supports the right action.
“we will do and we will hear” is an invitation to give account of our faith. Those who see us living out will come to know and to believe. Show me sterile faith without actions, says saint James, and I will show you the faith that underlies my actions. Our lives are missions from God. We are accountable to him. Our attitude should one of stewardship, not of ownership. We are called to rely on the one who called and sent us. Our lives are to be always a “yes” to God and his vision for humanity. His grace is bestowed upon us so that whenever it happens that we fall short, he will raise us and strengthen us. Our mission thus is to bring all in this covenant with the Lord.
Practical theology in all this is not about making theology practical, useful, or pragmatic; but rather practical theological reflection helps the disciples to discover a certain spiritual and ethical wisdom by reflecting on the ways God is calling and challenging them through the “signs of the times” and the scriptures. Practical theology is a reflection on current praxis, rather than the application of theory. Practical theological reflection looks at the theological themes and values underlying current practices of both religious/faith and secular communities in order to discover and construct the normative character of these practices, and their ethical requirements.
Thus the Christian minister is not only Martha, nor is he only Mary. Rather, the Christian minister has to be both Martha and Mary, namely he has to be both burdened by the service for the Kingdom and totally immersed in the understanding of the faith that sustains his ministry. Also, this is a call to all doubtful and undecided youth to open wide the doors of their hearts to Christ, the Sophia of God. As John Paul II said, Christ is a secure foundation who quenches the deepest desires of our hearts; Christ is faithful and supportive of his disciples. It is in sealing a covenant with God that we come to understand his heart full of compassion, mercy and forgiveness, and our call to be forgiving. Those in marriage or religious commitment would testify here. It is the confidence in forgiveness that sustains a promise or vow. Moreover, “we will do” calls us to respect the dignity of human activity and work. Through work, as John Paul II said again, the human person responds to his vocation of co-creator and fulfills his personhood. Thus unemployment and laziness are dehumanizing states.
All in all, “we will do and we will obey” should be the model of our Christian lives, of our discipleship. Just like it is in following Christ that we know Christ, it is in engaging in God’s vision that we come to understand what this vision really means and we are able to correlate it with “the signs of times”. Come and see, Jesus is telling us today. We have to take the attitude of the first disciples, to follow him in order to force him look back and to hear Jesus’ calling question/questioning call, “ what are you looking for?” Practical theology helps us formulate our responding question/questioning response, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” Or again, practical theological reflection seems to ask: what time is it in your life? Is it “four in the afternoon”? Go and see (Jn 37-39); do and hear.