AUCKLAND If we want to know who God is, Fr John Fuellenbach says there is an obvious place to go to learn about him the Gospels. We need to go back to the Jesus who walked this earth, the Divine Word Missonary told gatherings in Auckland, part of a series of talks Fr Fuellenbach is giving around New Zealand to priests, religious and laity.
The Jesus who walked the earth is the one were called to follow, he said.
Among Fr Fuellenbachs talks while on his first trip to New Zealand was the Catholic Institute of Theologys 2008 Pompallier Lecture.
At that July 30 talk, Fr Fuellenbach a German theologian who previously taught at the Gregorian University in Rome told more than 100 people that we must remember three important characteristics of the image of God that Jesus brought: God loves me always unconditionally; he forgives me always; and he is always with me.
Fr Fuellenbach said he often encounters people, especially young people, who are more likely to focus on their sinful nature than Gods loving, forgiving nature.
We are not first and foremost a sinner; we are first and foremost infinitely loved, he said.
In fact, the entire Christian message could be summed up in those words: Infinitely loved. Failing to accept that fact can cause feelings of guilt emerging from the belief that one is not loved or not accepted.
Gods compassionate love for his people is so great that it turns God against himself his love against his justice, Fr Fuellenbach explained, alluding to the book of Hosea. The love of God will triumph, not his justice.
And when people die, people will see that infinite love juxtaposed with their own lives.
In purgatory, Fr Fuellenbach contends, people will be faced with a vision of their lovelessness and feel enormous pain at having lived in that way.
The following evening, Fr Fuellenbach continued on the theme of an all-loving God in a talk on the subject You will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth, which formed part of the theme for World Youth Day 2008.
In that talk, he lamented the drift of young people away from the Church and posed a question: How can we present the Christian faith as something that excites people and helps them to experience a deep peace and joy?
Part of that answer can be found in Jesus call to Follow me, Fr Fuellenbach explained.
We can take our cue from Jesus about what it means to lead a meaningful, joyful, fulfilling human life. Jesus came to tell us what it means to be truly human.
Making a commitment to Christ, the Christ of the Gospels, is a major step to feel happy again in your Church.
That means feeling part of a community, something that can be compared with a log in the Christian image of fire. Like a log that is removed from a fire, a Christian can smoulder for a while away from the flames, but will eventually be extinguished.
Said Fr Fuellenbach: In order to get young people, the first step is how to present Jesus and make that exciting.
And keep that fire burning.
