THEME: MARSHALLANS: BAPTIZED AND SENT TO SERVE THE LORD IN HOLINESS, GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE
KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY REV. FR. JOHN KOBINA LOUIS
AT THE FORUM FOR GRAND KNIGHTS AND NOBLE LADIES
HELD AT CHRISTIAN VILLAGE, KUMASI,
ON 15TH FEBRUARY, 2020
- INTRODUCTION
The Supreme Knight, Sir Knight Bro. Charles Cobb, members of the Supreme Council, the Grand Lady, Most Respected Lady Sister Dame Agatha Akua Bonney, members of the Grand Court, Past Supreme Knights, Past Grand Ladies, Regional Grand Knights, Regional Noble Ladies, Grand Knights and Noble Ladies, distinguished ladies and gentleman, I wish to thank the organizers of this Forum for the opportunity given me to deliver the keynote address.
The theme for this Forum is MARSHALLANS: BAPTIZED AND SENT TO SERVE THE LORD IN HOLINESS, GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE. This theme draws inspiration from several sources. The first source is the theme of the Extraordinary Missionary Month: “Baptized and Sent: The Church of Christ on Mission in the World.” The Extraordinary Missionary Month was declared by Pope Francis in view of the centenary anniversary of Pope Benedict XV’s Apostolic Letter Maximum Illud. This Letter was written on 30th November, 1919, by Pope Benedict XV with the aim of giving new impetus to the missionary task of proclaiming the Gospel after the First World War (1914-1918).
As part of the centenary anniversary in 2019, Pope Francis declared that October 2019 be observed as an Extraordinary Missionary month “with the aim of fostering an increased awareness of the missio ad gentes and taking up again with renewed fervour the missionary transformation of the Church’s life and pastoral activity”.
Secondly, in response to this universal call, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference adopted for its reflection at their 2019 Plenary Assembly the theme: “Baptized and Sent: Living our Mission in Ghana today”. Thirdly, prior to the above centenary, specifically on 19th March 2018, Pope Francis wrote an Apostolic Exhortation, Gaudete et Exsultate (Rejoice and be glad), on the call to holiness in today’s world.
In short, the theme of this Forum draws inspiration from the theme of 2019 Extraordinary Missionary month, the theme of the 2019 Plenary Assembly of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the 2018 Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis.
1.2 OUTLINE
- Baptism and Holiness
- Service in Holiness
- Service by Marshallans
2.0 BAPTISM AND HOLINESS
2.1 BAPTISM
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), ‘to baptize (Greek baptizein) means to “plunge” or “immerse”; the “plunge” into the water symbolizes the catechumen’s burial into Christ’s death, from which he rises up by resurrection with him [cf. Rom. 6:3-4], as “a new creature” (2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15)’ [CCC #1214].
‘Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit [cf. Acts 2:38] … and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin [cf. Acts 2:38] and reborn as sons of God [cf. John 3:1-6]; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission’ (CCC #1213).
By becoming adopted sons and daughters of God (though baptism) we share in the threefold ministry of Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church affirms this: ‘The baptized have become “living stones” to be “built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood [1 Peter 2:5].” By Baptism they share in the priesthood of Christ, in his prophetic and royal mission. They are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that [they] may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called [them] out of darkness into his marvelous light [1 Peter 2:9].” Baptism gives a share in the common priesthood of all believers’ (CCC #1268).
Thus, inherent in the reception of baptism is the obligation of being sent – the obligation of sharing in the mission which Christ has entrusted to the Church: ‘”Reborn as sons of God, [the baptized] must profess before men the faith they have received from God through the Church” and participate in the apostolic and missionary activity of the People of God [Vatican II, Lumen Gentium #11]’ (CCC #1270).
2.2 HOLINESS
In the very first paragraph of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate, he reminds us: ‘The Lord … wants us to be saints and not to settle for a bland and mediocre existence. The call to holiness is present in various ways from the very first pages of the Bible. We see it expressed in the Lord’s words to Abraham: “Walk before me, and be blameless” (Gen 17:1)’ (GE #1).
Indeed, holiness of life is God’s call to all of us: ‘Be holy for I, the Lord your God, am holy’ (Lev. 19:2). But what is holiness? Literally, holiness means to be set apart by God. In other words, to be holy is to be in God’s company or to be His friends, or, better still, to be His adopted sons and daughters of God. That is, holiness is the grace that conforms to the likeness of Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God. And this is exactly the grace we receive at baptism. In short, through baptism, God makes us holy.
Our holiness is, therefore, first and foremost by God’s grace. That is, it is God who, out of His infinite love, takes the initiative to call us to be holy. This calling to live with the all-holy God was in His plan even before the creation of the world. This is affirmed by the Letter to the Ephesians: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who … chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love” (Eph. 1:3-4).
In accordance with the above-mentioned plan of God, Adam and Eve lived in the presence or company or friendship with the all-holy God until they disobeyed Him (cf. Gen. 3:1-23). To restore this holy friendship with God, the Father offered His sinless Son, Jesus Christ, in atonement for the sin of all humanity. Hence, St. John the Baptist bears irrefutable witness to the fact that Jesus Christ is the sacrificial “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven, and we are made God’s adopted children. This is affirmed by the Letter to the Ephesians: “He [God the Father] destined us for adoption as His children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:5-7).
Furthermore, it is important to note that it is through the action of the Holy Spirit, that we receive the gift of faith (cf. 1 Cor. 12:9); and it is by faith that we enjoy the grace of holiness or the grace of adopted children of God (cf. Rom. 8:14-17).
3.0 SERVICE IN HOLINESS
As mentioned above, all the baptized are sent by the Lord. This means all the baptized have been entrusted with a mission by the Lord. It is a mission of service in the Lord. To serve the all-holy Lord God is necessarily to serve in holiness. Thus, Pope Francis affirms: ‘A Christian cannot think of his or her mission on earth without seeing it as a path of holiness, for “this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thess 4:3). Each saint is a mission, planned by the Father to reflect and embody, at a specific moment in history, a certain aspect of the Gospel’ (GE #19).
In addition to the grace of holiness received at baptism, God continues to offer us the grace to remain holy. We, on our part, have to cooperate, on daily basis, with the grace of God to remain holy. Thus, Pope Francis says: ‘Let the grace of your baptism bear fruit in a path of holiness’ (GE #15). That is, the baptismal grace of holiness is like a seed and we need to water it daily (with the continuous grace of God) in order that it may grow to bear fruit.
How do we water the baptismal grace of holiness? We do so by doing God’s will. To do His will is to serve Him in faith and obedience. To obey Him is to obey His Commandments, which are summed up in love of God and love of neighbour (cf. Matt. 22:37-40). Worshipping, celebrating the sacraments, praying and reading the Scriptures are ways of expressing our love for God and, therefore, ways of watering the baptismal grace of holiness. On the other hand, works of charity are practical ways of expressing our love for our neighbours and therefore they are also ways of watering the grace of holiness.
In relation to our neighbours, our service in holiness is often expressed in ordinary activities of daily life (cf. Matt. 25:31-46). Pope Francis elaborates on this: ‘I like to contemplate the holiness present in the patience of God’s people: in those parents who raise their children with immense love, in those men and women who work hard to support their families, in the sick, in elderly religious who never lose their smile. In their daily perseverance I see the holiness of the Church militant. Very often it is a holiness found in our next-door neighbours, those who, living in our midst, reflect God’s presence. We might call them “the middle class of holiness”’ (GE #7).
Elsewhere in his Exhortation, the Pope gives us other instances of the expression of holiness in ordinary activities: ‘To be holy does not require being a bishop, a priest or a religious. We are frequently tempted to think that holiness is only for those who can withdraw from ordinary affairs to spend much time in prayer. That is not the case. We are all called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves. Are you called to the consecrated life? Be holy by living out your commitment with joy. Are you married? Be holy by loving and caring for your husband or wife, as Christ does for the Church. Do you work for a living? Be holy by labouring with integrity and skill in the service of your brothers and sisters. Are you a parent or grandparent? Be holy by patiently teaching the little ones how to follow Jesus. Are you in a position of authority? Be holy by working for the common good and renouncing personal gain’ (GE #14).
Our service in holiness is, therefore, a life-long process and generally our advancement along the path of holiness is gradual. Once again, the Pope gives us a vivid illustration: ‘Here is an example: a woman goes shopping, she meets a neighbour and they begin to speak, and the gossip starts. But she says in her heart: “No, I will not speak badly of anyone”. This is a step forward in holiness. Later, at home, one of her children wants to talk to her about his hopes and dreams, and even though she is tired, she sits down and listens with patience and love. That is another sacrifice that brings holiness. Later she experiences some anxiety, but recalling the love of the Virgin Mary, she takes her rosary and prays with faith. Yet another path of holiness. Later still, she goes out onto the street, encounters a poor person and stops to say a kind word to him. One more step’ (GE #15).
4.0 SERVICE BY MARSHALLANS
Marshallans, like all baptized persons, are expected to serve the Lord in holiness as explained in the above section (3.0). Moreover, service rendered by Marshallans should be guided by the missionary spirit of Sir James Marshall as well as by three (3) of the core tenets (values) of the Noble Order: unity, fraternity, and charity.
4.1 MISSIONARY SPIRIT OF SIR JAMES MARHALL
Sir James Marshall, a former Anglican Minister and later a convert to the Catholic faith, understood very well that we are ‘baptized and sent’. He understood very well that grace of holiness received at baptism needs to bear fruit in the missionary services we render. Thus, in 1877, Sir James Marshall “called public attention to the plight of the people in the Gold Coast that the Catholic Church had not been established in that country. His letter to the editor of the
[journal]
TABLET made the expected impact” (Ecclesia in Ghana, 1997, no. 9). Two years later, the Vatican’s Propaganda Fidei would “erect the Prefecture of the Gold Coast, a new ecclesiastical jurisdiction that was entrusted to the Society of African Mission (S.M.A.)” (ibid.). Subsequently on 18 May, 1880, two S.M.A. missionaries, Frs. August Moreau and Eugene Murat would arrive on our shores at Elmina (cf. Ecclesia in Ghana, no. 10).
Thus, a unique way he served the Catholic Church was in the spreading of the faith to our country and other West African countries. Inspired by Sir James Marshall and in this era of New Evangelization, Marshallans (individually and collectively) should seek ever close personal relationship with Christ and be actively engaged in the mission of spreading His Gospel.
4.2 UNITY
The unity among Marshallans, like among all Catholics and indeed among all Christians, is based first and foremost on our common faith and baptism (Eph. 4:4-5; Gal. 3:25-29). It is by our common faith that in Jesus Christ, all Christians have become children of God the Father through the action of the Holy Spirit. And through baptism, all are incorporated into the one body of Christ which is the Church.
Whereas Marshallans share this common unity in Christ with other Catholics and indeed all Christians, we share a special bond of unity among ourselves, because of our common inspiration in Sir James Marshall. Thus, while on the one hand, Marshallans should foster a closer bond of unity among ourselves, we should not forget our obligation to foster unity among the larger Catholic/Christian family. One could put the point this way: while we intensify unity in our “nuclear family” (Noble Order), it should be done in such a way that it fosters unity in the “extended family” of God (the Church).
To foster unity among Christians and specifically among Marshallans is act of holiness; for it brings together the various members of the body (Church) of our all-holy Lord Jesus Christ. Unity is so dear to the heart of our all-holy Lord that He prayed passionately about it at the Last Supper: ‘Father may they all be one, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be one in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me’ (John 17:21).
May I now congratulate you for your efforts and those of your predecessors in sustaining the unity among the initial thirteen (13) knights and growing it to a unity among 18,000 knights, ladies and juniors across several countries (Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo/Benin and the UK). However, in the context of holiness, we need to ascertain the quality of this unity among members.
Let us, therefore, ask ourselves a few questions: Are all members satisfied with the unity in the Councils and Courts at the local, regional and national levels? Do officers make the conscious effort to bring other brothers and sisters on board, or are they focusing on the unity among themselves? Are ordinary members cooperating and collaboration to promote unity? What are officers and ordinary members doing to reactivate the membership of lapsed members? Do we make conscious efforts to promote unity with other church societies?
4.3 FRATERNITY
I have placed the discussion on ‘fraternity’ right after considering ‘unity’ because by our unity we become a family of brothers and sisters. This is what fraternity is about. In 1926, at Sekondi, the thirteen (13) founding fathers of the Order aimed at establishing a friendly society. Fraternity entails friendship. With a common faith – a faith which made Sir James Marshall believe that the natives of the then Gold Coast could become his brothers and sisters in Christ – Marshallans should understand that this kind of fraternity is deeper than friendship. Therefore, inspired by Sir James Marshall we should appreciate the fact that we are brothers and sisters in a sense deeper than the one established by a mere human blood relationship or common human parentage. Fostering fraternity based on common brotherhood or sisterhood in Christ is an act of holiness. Therefore, any act which negatively affects such fraternity is against the will of God and retards growth in holiness.
Again, as in the case of unity, the fraternity we experience in the “nuclear family” of the Noble Order should be a catalyst for us to foster fraternity among “extended” Catholic/Christian family.
Once again, I congratulate you for your efforts in fostering fraternity among members for more than ninety (90) years through your meetings, social activities, get-togethers, visits to sick members, participation in weddings and funerals of members, etc. However, one may ask if all members are enjoying a deep sense of belonging or only a minority feel so? And what about fraternity with and for other Catholics?
4.4 CHARITY
Charity is the practical demonstration of not only love but of holiness as well. Thus, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI succinctly expresses the relationship between charity and holiness: “holiness is nothing other than charity lived to the full” (Catechesis, General Audience of 13 April 2011, cited in GE #21). Often this means giving a practical help to someone in need in accordance with the teaching of Christ in Matthew 25:31-46. Referring to this text, Pope Francis enlightens us: ‘If we seek the holiness pleasing to God’s eyes, this text offers us one clear criterion on which we will be judged. “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me” (vv. 35-36)’ (GE #95). However, it should be noted that such a practical demonstration of love is a true expression of holiness only if it is done without conditions (cf. John 15:13).
This sort of love strengthens fraternity and eventually the bond of unity itself. Sir James Marshall shared the best gift he had received from the Lord – namely, salvation in Jesus Christ – with the Gold Coasters. Similarly, we should share with others what they do not have. Since charity begins at home and it fosters fraternity and unity, we should express charity to members of the Order first and then spread it to other Catholics, other Christians and non-Christians.
Again, I commend you for your efforts in fostering the spirit of charity among members for the past years. We have social welfare packages for members and some have benefitted from them in the past years. Also, I believe that some individual members have been charitable to other members when the latter were in need. In addition, we have made several donations to needy non-members and deprived institutions in the past years.
However, we need to re-look at our whole approach to charity and welfare. Is our welfare package based on the concept of “No Contribution, No Chop” (NCNC)? Is that the best approach for a Christian (Catholic) friendly society? In the early Christian communities, those who enjoyed the welfare package most were the poor, widows, etc. who hardly contributed anything to the common fund (Acts 2:42-46; 4:32-37; 6:1-6). Thus, jobless and pensioned Marshallans who struggle to make ends meet may not contribute much to the fund, but they should enjoy its benefits. Furthermore, if charity begins at home, then why should we, for instance, go out to make a big donation to a non-Catholic institution when a Marshallan may be struggling to pay the fees of the child? Again, why should we decide to donate to a non-Catholic institution when a poor parishioner may be unable to pay her medical bills?
5.0 CONCLUSION
Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Noble Order, we have been reflecting on the theme, MARSHALLANS: BAPTIZED AND SENT TO SERVE THE LORD IN HOLINESS, GAUDETE ET EXSULTATE. Three main areas have been considered. Firstly, we have looked at BAPTISM AND HOLINESS. Through baptism God simultaneously makes us holy and sends us. Our holiness is, therefore, inseparable from our mission or sending by God.
This leads us to the second point: the mission the Lord has entrusted to us is SERVICE IN HOLINESS. That is, to serve the all-holy Lord is necessarily to serve in holiness.
Thirdly we have been reminded that the holy SERVICE rendered by MARSHALLANS, besides been like that of all Christians, has some unique features; namely, it takes inspiration from the missionary spirit of Sir James Marshall and it is rooted in the core values of unity, fraternity and charity.
I hope that this reflection will spur on those Brothers and Sisters who have already made great strides on the path of holiness to advance further, while it stirs in all others a strong desire and a firm readiness to walk on the path of holiness.
May Christ, the light of holiness shine on our spiritual path!
Long live the Noble Order!
Long live our Motherland!
Long live the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church!
Thank you.