Recognize, Respect and Give Space for Manifold Gifts of the Spirit

Charismatic gifts are the manifold gifts of the Holy Spirit about which the Sacred Scripture teaches us. In the Community, these gifts are given differently to different individual members, for one's own sanctification and to contribute for the good of the community.

Just to refresh our knowledge about the variety of gifts of the Holy Spirit, let us recall the words in the Scriptures: "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord, and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (1Cor 12: 4-7). It is this perspective and view that should enable the members of the Church to recognize, accept with respect, and give sufficient space for the members with their Charisms and services for the common good of the whole community. It is here that the call of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, to strive to be a "synodal church" assumes great significance. Gifts, Charismatic and institutional, are for the common good and for the building up of the whole Community, the Church.

The faithful in the given community of a parish or a particular village or town should be recognized and respected with their gifts and the service they can render or activities they can do, and should be utilized for the benefit of the whole community. Here, the priests in the pastoral ministry should animate and motivate the faithful to be involved in the life of the parish community. But, this also implies that the gifts and charisms, and different apostolates are recognized, respected, and accepted by the priest as the leader of the community. Working all by oneself may appear easy but the community will miss the valuable contribution of the differently gifted members of the community.

Communities of men and women religious of various congregations or apostolic Societies with their specific charisms and apostolates

They too should be at the service of the Church entrusted with the mission of carrying on the saving mission of our Lord Jesus Christ! Be it education or health care or social apostolate, Religious Congregations or Institutes should be engaged as sharing in the mission of the Church while being located in a certain place and time! Mutual recognition and respect, cooperation and coordination for the common good of the whole Church with her mission will come about only if there is a genuine sense of belonging to the church and love for the Church with saving mission.

Here, one phenomenon needs to be looked into. Priests and religious, and lay faithful, as members in the Church make claims from the Church because of our belonging to the Church.

In the institutional setup of the Church, there is this big temptation of seeking the so-called "rights and privileges," just because one is a Christian/Catholic, just because one is a priest or religious, and at times even speaking about being unjustly treated or expressing discontentment and dissatisfaction by comparing with others who get different considerations or placements at a given time! This kind of situation would certainly disturb life in the Church. And one's love for the Church and one's commitment to partake of the mission of the Church becomes conditioned or conditional. Any conditional love and conditional commitment cannot be true love and true commitment!

We should also think of what we have to give to the Church

Each according to his or her capacity by virtue of the gifts and talents one is blessed with. Our love for the Church and our commitment to share in the mission of the Church can alone enable us to contribute towards the life and mission of the church.

Our love for the Church, especially for us who are ordained ministers and religious men and women, should make us free from the tendency of seeking ourselves – our immediate benefits and gains, personal plans and ambitions, comforts and conveniences, self-advancement and self-promotion (directly or indirectly). We will have the danger of ending up looking after ourselves than looking after the Community entrusted to us! One can become overly concerned about what one wants rather than what Church and her mission want of us!

When the mission and related apostolate is not seen as one's primary concern and commitment, other considerations can crop up. And if they are not attended to, the situation can lead to disappointments and dissatisfaction. Indirectly, this kind of dynamics is at work due to the hierarchical institutional structure of the Church which functions within the framework of "prescribed procedures," based either on the general laws of the "Universal Church" or framed guidelines and rules by the given diocese or Religious Congregation.

There is one common mission before the Church to which we all belong but persons and situations, communities and cultures, issues and problems are so diverse that not everything can be uniform! Therefore, it is only "love for God and love for the Church" which should guide and motivate the members at various levels in the hierarchical Church that Catholic Church is!

Conclusion: Love for the Church should mean love for the "mission" of the Church and love for others in the Church. Recognition, Respect and acceptance of others who are differently blessed and differently gifted in the one ‘Spirit of God’ and to be accountable for the particular gift given and different tasks each of us are engaged. We are necessary for each other for the common good of the Church and her mission. "The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry for building up the body of Christ." (Eph 4:11-12).