Like the first apostles, all Christians
are called to evangelize by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, spreading
the “good news” to anyone who will listen. In Evangelii Gaudium, “The Joy of the Gospel” Pope Francis
explains that our own “joy of salvation” is not something we are supposed to
keep to ourselves. To be truly Christian is to desire to share
the good news, love, compassion, and salvation of Christ with everyone we encounter. The beauty of Pope Francis' words “life is
attained and matures in the measure that it is offered up in order to give life
to others” (II,10) struck a chord in the recesses of my own heart. Isn't that the aim of all of us in the LIM program, to minister to God's people in some way, giving back to others what God has so generously given to us?
I could not help but think of my mother
when I read Pope Francis; words, “an evangelizer must never look like someone
who has just come back from a funeral!” (II,10). My mother was perhaps one of the greatest
evangelists I’ve ever personally known. She exuded
joy, no matter her circumstances in life.
She never traveled very far from home but all who knew her marveled at
her courage, joyful spirit and tenacity, which she never failed to acknowledge, came
from her faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. She and my dad raised not only my three brothers and me
but also six of my father’s brothers and sisters after their mother died. Mom was a beautician and people flocked to
her salon more for her positive attitude and faith-filled advice than for a new
hairdo. She suffered greatly in her last
few years of life, but never stopped spreading the joy of the Gospel to everyone
she came into contact with. People just loved being with her.
There is a certain Spirit-filled joy
that comes from people who have experienced a personal encounter with Jesus
Christ. I’m sure that many of you have
known people like this. They attract you
like a moth to a flame. As Pope Francis
points out, “It is not by proselytizing that the Church grows, but “by
attraction” (III, 15). It was just this
sort of attraction that led me to
what I call my “awakening” from a sluggish faith in the 90’s. A bible study group at my new parish seemed
so full of kindness, joy, and goodwill that I just had to join them to see what
inspired it. It was the beginning of new life for me. A life of deepening faith and service.
My former church had members who seemed
just as lukewarm as I was. There was no energy or joy in the congregation. Because of
this, I recognize how important it is for people to experience fellowship and the
love of Christ reflected in the members of our church community, not only while we are at church but wherever and whenever we are out in the world. There is no greater sign of our Christian faith than to treat others with love and respect, welcoming them with Christian joy, without excluding anyone" (III, 15).
photo credit: www.evangelicaloutreach.org
Evangelii Gaudium
ReplyDeleteOne may only attract another by placing oneself physically in the presence of another, be it in person, word, art, or nature. “How do we “be” with others? Do we physically sit with them; stand with them; laugh with them; weep with them? Pope Francis speaks, writes and acts with the goal of shepherding God’s flock to position themselves with the other. People tend to choose the company of those who are inviting, kind, and generous. Jesus never coerced or forced anyone to follow His way.
The evangelism of which Pope Francis writes, speaks and lives does not mirror the “charismatic” movement of the Catholic Church following Vatican II. It is a shame the promotional proselytizing movement of the 1960’s/70’s coined that term, “charismatic,” as if it held the key to the charisms of the people of God. The quiet and meek have gifts of charisms, too. Just because yours may be bold and public doesn’t mean that others’ charisms are not influential and attractive to the building up and union of the Church.
In response to the little girl in the Philippines who questioned Pope Francis about the whys of suffering and abused children, the Pope responded in kind with tears and a welcoming embrace: we must “weep with others” in our response to their plights or positions. We are connected with others when we accompany them. Pope Francis takes the mantel of evangelization from the shoulders of the ordained ministry and religious and places it squarely on the laity. We are the most important preachers out there in the world. Receive the strength to minister from the liturgy, proclaim in your daily words and deeds the teachings of the Gospel, and take it out into the world where you are, where you live and work, and with those you encounter. A big challenge of Pope Francis is don’t “do” charity; take care of each other with the same things your own family may be privileged to enjoy – not with leftovers. The themes of abundance, care and trust are tied with the strings of joy.
The joy of the Gospels is the healing and restoration offered by Jesus to those physically and mentally ill mirrors the invitation to heal and restore relationships and communities in order to connect all of creation to God’s Kingdom.
In last week’s class, Archbishop Hughes mentioned in his history of the Christian priesthood that the mission of the disciples after Christ’s resurrection was first to spread the news of Christ to the nations. It was not until many of the disciples started dying that they took the task of writing the Gospels and the later further developing the theology of Christianity. In writing “The Joy of the Gospel,” Pope Francis has recognized the importance of spreading the news of Christ to all that will listen.
ReplyDeleteIn speaking of this evangelization, Francis writes, “An evangelizer must never look like someone who has just come back from a funeral!” (Evangelii Gaudium 10). We must instead “Glow with fervour, who have first received the joy of Christ” (10). As evangelizers, and representatives of Christ, we must always be joyful in spreading the word of God.
In teaching high school religion at a Catholic school, I am charged with the same mission of the first disciples and the privilege of the evangelization called upon by Pope Francis. Indeed, I will be more effective at spreading the good news of Christ’s salvation if I do so in good spirits. When I was in high school, my favorite class was economics. Most of my collogues cringe at the idea of teaching economics, could there be a more boring subject? I on the other hand enjoy the subject because my high school economics teacher was excited about teaching the material. It has stuck with me 15 years later. Although studying the life of someone who lived 2,000 years ago for five years of high school (8th-12th grade) may not seem all that exciting, if I am excited in evangelizing the material, the students will be excited about living a Christian life. I am honored to be tasked with the same mission of the first disciples.