Hello friends!
I have been reading some articles and letters regarding this past fall’s Church synod in Rome about “the new evangelization.” The good news is that this is not a new program or process that the Universal Church wants all Catholic Churches to “do”. The better news is that our Church’s leaders recognize that we as a Church have an important role in this world at this time.
But here is the bad news that we must confront. Our Catholic Church has more people leaving out the back door than we have entering through the front door at Easter or through the Baptismal font. In this very pluralistic US and western European culture that we are immersed in there are many intelligent voices telling us why we should not believe and live faithfully. In their logical and scientific minds faith makes no since. They tell us that there is no credible proof of God being the creator of this world, no real evidence of Christ being the Son of God or Him rising from the dead, and no hope that heaven is real or that life has any purpose other than avoiding pain until we die. In their world our Sacraments are just a mirage or a placebo.
Pope Benedict XVI has called on people of faith to show otherwise. In the early days of the Church people like Sts. Peter, James, John, Paul and Luke were able to convey their experience of the Risen Son of God to a world that was even more unbelieving than ours is today. Because of their experience on the mountain of the Transfiguration, seeing His life, ministry, and miracles for others, and witnessing His Resurrection first hand we get the benefits. Their testimony and lives of conviction shaped the future of the Church for the past 2000 years. Their willingness to preach, teach and live their beliefs, even when 1st century logic, science, and critics told them to shut up has produced a Church and a New Testament that still lives, teaches and preaches God’s love and truth.
The Church is calling us Christians to do the same thing as our predecessors. We are being called to witness to the world how we are being loved, forgiven and healed by the same Jesus Christ who lives now in our encounters with Him in the Word and in Sacrament. We are to acknowledge that this may not seem logical or scientifically provable but God is still shaping and creating lives in this doubting world. We are especially being called to witness by our actions that God loves all people by our loving indiscriminately and unconditionally as He has loved us.
This will take an effort on our part to perhaps rediscover, uncover and recommit ourselves to the exciting “Good News” that we are loved, forgiven and saved by God. I urge you during this Lenten season to figure out how you can be a witness for God especially by your loving, forgiving and faithful actions. Participate in “Why Catholic?” Visit the Blessed Sacrament. Go on a retreat. Read something faithful online or in a book. Go to the Men’s Conference on March 16th at St. Raphael. Read the readings of the Mass either before you attend Mass or again after Mass.
There are all kinds of ways to be an evangelist. But we are all called to do so.
Blessings,
Fr. Chuck
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