From the Regional Director of Oceania
From the perspective of God, I think that evolution and mission are the same things. When we are talking about evolution, we are talking about how God continues to create the world. Everything is developing and becoming more complex. Even the whole universe continues to expand. Mission is also about moving out and announcing good news.
Mission and evolution are energised by the same force. It is God who is the source for both.
The universe is in God and God is in the universe. All of us missionary disciples are moved by the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God continues to hover over the chaos and bring forth form and beauty, as it says in the first verse of the Bible.
In a Christian understanding of evolution, the goal is the same as that of mission. The goal is that the whole of humankind and the whole universe find their fullness in Christ.
Another metaphor used for this process, from the teaching of Jesus, is the coming of the Kingdom. He says the Kingdom of God is here. The trouble is we have not woken up to it yet. Our hope is that each of us will as we grow.
Each of us is created separately by God. Each of us has a separate mission from God. We are given God’s Spirit to lead us, guide us and give us strength. Likewise, evolution gives each of us a distinct DNA. Our fingerprints are just mine and no one else’s.
God is at work in both the evolution of the universe and all of us in it, including the plants, the animals, all created things. God is at work in the Columbans, in each of our friends and supporters. We are all part of God’s plan. Our dignity is that we have been loved into existence along with every other person and every other thing.
Let us say “yes” to mission. Let us support the forces at work in our world that are leading us to a better future for all of humanity, for all of the universe!
Fr Trevor Trotter
Regional Director of Oceania
rdoceania@columban.org.au
Related links
- Read more from the current Columban eBulletin
