Brett February 13, 2018

This is the second of five blogs on the New Leadership for the New Evangelization.

There is a lot of talk these days about Parish renewal. The popularity of Divine Renovation (Mallon, 2014) and Rebuilt (White & Corcoran, 2013) are evidence that parish leaders and parishioners have an appetite to shake things up.

What does renewal mean in the parish context? The dictionary provides some insight. Renewal is defined as, “an instance of resuming something after an interruption to repair it.” Parish renewal means interrupting the status quo, repairing it, and embracing a new model of parish life.

Renewal won’t happen until we admit that something needs fixing and desire something better.

Renewal won’t happen until we admit something needs fixing and we desire something better. Share on X

American Pastor Bill Hybels refers to this epiphany as a moment of holy discontent.

Holy discontent is a grace from Jesus. It begins when we encounter a situation that is disordered in the world, our world. In this case, the status quo of parish life. But the encounter goes beyond frustration – it becomes a divine appointment.

Jesus allows the disorder and our frustration of it, so that we experience something of His Sacred Heart. He gives us the grace to see the situation with His eyes and feel it with His heart.

With His perspective elevating our vision, we see the gap between what is and what should be with utter clarity. Holy discontent is an agitated place but also full of hope that compels us to action.

Jesus' perspective elevates our vision. We see the gap between what is and what should be. Holy discontent is an agitated place but also full of hope that compels us to action. Share on X

The prophet Nehemiah is a notable example of holy discontent.

Nehemiah heard about the troubled exiles. He later discovered that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down and the gates had been burned. He was overwhelmed at first but then encountered the presence of God in the frustration, this was his divine appointment.

For some days he mourned the tragic state of Jerusalem. He fasted and prayed for strength. Then, filled with clarity and conviction that only a divine appointment can produce in the soul, he set out to make it right.

A divine encounter with the heart of God can fill us with the clarity and conviction we need to lead renewal. Share on X

Modeling inspiring leadership, Nehemiah rallied the people. In just 52 days he and his collaborators completely restored the walls of Jerusalem. The people were once again filled with hope.

Nehemiah resolved to make himself available with a spirit of abandonment, “Lord, I will do anything you want me to do, say anything you want me to say, be anything you want me to be and go anywhere you want me to go. Allow me to collaborate with you to fix this disorder.”

Prayer of a missionary disciple, “Lord, I will do anything you want me to do, say anything you want me to say, be anything you want me to be and go anywhere you want me to go.” Share on X

Leaders in the new evangelization – particularly parish leaders – must be filled with the same divine discontent. It really should agitate us to see the gap between what is and what could be in our parishes and Catholic institutions.

Pope Francis has spoken frequently about the danger of the status quo. “Pastoral ministry in a missionary key seeks to abandon the complacent attitude that says: ‘We have always done it this way’. I invite everyone to be bold and creative in this task of rethinking the goals, structures, style and methods of evangelization in their respective communities” (EG #33).

The Pope is exhorting us in the New Evangelization to challenge the process, to resist the status quo, to be filled with divine discontent and to make ourselves available to the Lord as missionaries of change and apostles of renewal.

Pope Francis is exhorting us in the new evangelization to resist the status quo and be filled with divine discontent to become missionaries of change and apostles of renewal. Share on X

Change always precedes progress and challenging the process always precedes change.

New leaders for the new evangelization don’t lie in bed at night dreaming about the way things are, they lie in bed at night dreaming about the ways things could be and should be and must be in our parishes.