Laity

After this, the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go” (Luke 10:1).

            When I was a boy, the Priest did almost everything during Mass. He offered the prayers, read the Scriptures, distributed Communion and made the announcements by himself. The only other people who had a role to play in the Liturgy were the Altar Boys who served the Priest and Ushers who took up the Collection and gave out Bulletins when Mass was over. However, after the Second Vatican Council, everything changed. Parishioners did all the Readings except for the Gospel, offered the General Intercessions and helped the Priest distribute Communion. They also started helping with Baptismal and Marriage Preparation, organizing Parish Spiritual events and visiting the schools. While some Parishioners were resistant to this change, the majority accepted it because they recognized the Priests needed the help and there were all these talented people in the Parish who wanted to help them. Since that time, the role of the Laity in Parish Ministry has grown and is better understood and appreciated by the whole Community.

            In this passage from Luke, Jesus sends out seventy Disciples ahead of him to help in his Ministry. By doing so, he foreshadows the role of the Laity in the work of the Church.

            During Christ’s lifetime, within the Jewish Community there existed a number of clearly defined roles. Priests offered sacrifice in the Jerusalem Temple. Levites performed a number of Religious and Administrative tasks which at one point included the: collection of taxes, control of admission to the Temple; and provision of those items required for Worship Services. Rabbis were those who: provided Religious Instruction’ the Interpretation of the Law; and led Religious Worship in the Synagogue. Scribes produced copies of the Law and frequently provided some Interpretation of it. However, the vast majority of Jews fell into none of these categories. Their participation in the Spiritual Life of the Community consisted mostly: of observance of the Law; reception of Religious Instruction; and supplication of Sacrificial Offerings. In addition, one’s role in Judaism depended upon one’s ancestry. Priests and Levites belonged to particular family groups. For this reason, Christ’s approach to Ministry challenged Traditional ideas. Normally, Disciples sought out Rabbis for their Religious Instruction. According to Luke, Jesus called the Twelve and later the Seventy. His first Disciples were fisherman who likely had little Religious formation and no connection to the families of Priests or Levites. When his Followers fulfilled their obligations to the Jewish Law, they observed not just correct procedures but also the proper “Spirit”. Disciples also participated in the active process of Evangelization which differed from the passive nature of the Ministerial roles in Judaism because within it Conversion was not very common. Thus, Christ introduced a new understanding of the roles in Ministry when he sent out the Seventy on their Mission.

            Within our Modern Society, roles have been changing in various ways. Women are now doing jobs in Society that have been traditionally done by men and vice versa. The roles of father and mother in families have become more flexible with many tasks shared between parents. In many companies, work has become collaborative with the roles of supervisor and subordinate more blended. As was mentioned earlier, roles in the Church have also changed as the Laity take on some roles which in the past were reserved for Priests and Bishops. This has given the Church access to a greater pool of talent and experience in order to address the problems it faces in these times. While this change in the role of the Laity has been important there is another equally vital one which is often overlooked. The Church’s Mission is to establish the Kingdom of God in the world. Laypeople interact with that world on a regular basis. They can accomplish the Church’s Mission by how they fulfill their roles: at work; in the marketplace; and at home. If their actions are shaped by Catholic Teachings whether about: the dignity of all individuals; the demands of Justice; or personal Morality they make Jesus present in our Secular world. The difference that exists between how Catholics think and act and the rest of the world will often generate hostility. But it demonstrates there is another way to address the issues of our time and might start some interesting conversations. It also shows Religious Beliefs are not extinct and can contribute to the Common Good. By living out their Faith in daily life and offering their talents and experience in the more Traditional Ministerial roles, the Laity can make the Church thrive in the future.

            The changes in the role of the Laity in the Church since Vatican II have been a blessing. In both Traditional Ministries and interacting with the world, Laypeople have provided a wealth of ideas and service from which all Catholics have benefitted. In the future, there will probably be additional changes concerning roles in the Church. Whatever challenges the Church faces in the future, the talents and experience of the Laity will help meet them.

July 3, 2022