Reading the Signs of the Times
Reflecting on the Socio-Political and Economic Issues in Malawi During the Season of Advent 2010
PREAMBLE
Advent, the Season in which the Church looks forward to and prepares for the becoming flesh of God in our midst is traditionally a time of great expectation and renewal.
Expectation because of the breaking into human history of our Lord Jesus Christ at Christmas and, by prolongation, His final Coming at the end of times; renewal because precisely that is what we are called towards in preparation for His coming. This season begins today, 28th November, 2010, and will carry us through the coming four weeks to Christmas, 25th December, 2010.
In a sense, Malawi today, stands between a period of great expectation and renewal. In the recent Pastoral Statement of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, Reading the Sings of the Times: Current Social-Political and Economic Issues in Malawi, the Bishops speak of this expectation and renewal in terms of “the joys and hopes, grief and anguish of the people of Malawi”. The expectation and renewal that characterize Malawi as a nation today blend very well with the expectation and renewal characteristic of the Season of Advent. This booklet is an effort to merge the expectation and renewal associated with the Advent Season and the expectation and renewal of the people of Malawi today. This is in line with the express wish of the Bishops in their recent Pastoral Statement who set out “to appreciate what God is doing in our midst, and also challenge the nation, ourselves inclusive, to greater heights by focusing on the grief and anguish of people today” (Reading the Signs of the Times,) In so doing, their hope was that “all Catholics and indeed all people of good will, may, in humility, sincerity and in the light of faith, reflect on the challenges that our country is facing” (Reading the Signs of the Times).
This document is a direct response to the call of the Bishops in the same Statement inviting the faithful and the various groups of our Church and indeed all people of good will to take up their responsibility in an honest assessment of themselves and also to take a leading role in charting out a realistic and effective course of action (Reading the Signs of the Times, page 8). While this is not another Pastoral letter or Statement of the Bishops, the idea of using the recent Pastoral Statement in this engaging way in Advent has been endorsed by the Bishops. In keeping with current efforts to bring the teachings of the Bishops close to the people and encourage in-depth reflection and action on the same, this document uses the Sunday Readings of the four weeks of Advent to bring to
Christ’s light the joys and hopes, the grief and anguish of the people of Malawi today. Specifically, the document has three objectives. Firstly, it acts as an inspiration to the clergy as they prepare to disseminate God’s Word during this period of Advent. Secondly, it provides critical reflection notes and questions for discussion in such groups as the Small Christian Communities, Justice and Peace Meetings, Youth Groups, Lay movements, and various other discussion fora. Finally and above all, this document is intended to inspire people towards personal reflection, expectation and renewal in this Advent Season. It remains the conviction of the Church that in the historical event of the Incarnation –the Word becoming flesh (John 1:14), God reaffirms His solidarity with humanity and indeed human society can no longer consider God a stranger to the organization of its life. The concrete and historical encounter between God and man which we celebrate at Christmas removes salvation from the realm of speculative generalities and gives it a history which is co-extensive with the history of humanity.
This project has been made possible due to the dedication of many people and institutions who were readily available to work towards the realization of this document. Thanks for the efforts and resources, today we have this document in our midst and through this document let expectation and renewal, so characteristic of Advent embrace!
Rev. Fr. George Buleya
Secretary General
Episcopal Conference of Malawi