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The Viet Model
* Alternative Title: The Pilgrim Church in Vietnam
*Basis in Scripture and Tradition:
- Christians, on pilgrimage toward the heavenly city, should
seek and think of these
things which are above (G&S, 57).
-For every benefit which the People of God during its earthly
pilgrimage can offer
to the human family stems from the fact that the Church is "the
universal
sacrament of salvation", simultaneously manifesting and
exercising the mystery ofGod's love (G&S, 45).
- Hope: In these conditions, it is no cause of wonder that man,
who senses his
responsibility for the progress of culture, nourishes a high
hope but also looks with
anxiety upon many contradictory things (G&S, 56).
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- But, while we say this, the Church of Christ, present in the
midst of the anxiety of
this age, does not cease to hope most firmly (G&S, 82).
- Obedience: I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands
(Psalm 119:60);
and said to them, You have done all that Moses the servant of
the LORDcommanded, and you have obeyed me in everything I commanded
(Joshua 22:2);
Peter and the other apostles replied: We must obey God rather
than human
beings! (Acts 5:29).
*Prophecy:
- Isaiah 40:31:But those who hope in the LORD, will renew their
strength. They
will soar on wings like eagles;they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and
not be faint.
- Jeremiah 29:11:For I know the plans I have for you, declares
the LORD, plans
to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future.
- Context: under Communist occupation; freedom limited;
minority: only 6.87%
of the total population (26 dioceses).
- Method: bring the Gospel to the culture/ empower the Gospel to
communicate to
the culture.
- Analogy: bring seed and plant it in the native land.
- Legend:The bamboo and lotus can be used to symbolize the
Vietnamese
Catholics. Both of these are creations of God, which bear good
features as gifts of
God. The bamboo is tough and flexible; it can endure all the
unfavorable situations
and can triumph over storms or snow or drought or many other
natural disasters.
The lotus is very famous for its elegance, beauty and its
pleasant smell.The lotus is
rooted in the dirty mud of the bed of the lake, but its leaves
are green and its
flowers are colourful and give pleasant smell. These features
describe thecharacteristics of the Vietnamese Catholics, who live
in the evil society of the
Communist government, but they still keep their strong faith.
Though they have to
live in oppression, they are still flexible and constant with
their faith, as the
bamboo never falls because of the storm. Both the bamboo and the
lotus are
versatile and useful in daily life. The bamboo is used in many
things in a farmers
