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This past weekend my wife and I were invited to a evening of New Evangelization.
Recently my wife was asked by our pastor to be a part of a new evangelistic ministry. As Catholics, the word evangelism is a little foreign to many of us. However at the bidding of our Holy Father, Pope Francis parishes around the world are forming evangelistic ministries.
This evening we attended a special Mass presided by our own Bishop Felipe J. Estévez as well as Archbishop José Octavio Ruiz Arenas from the Vatican. The reverent Mass included readings that fit perfectly with the purpose. "Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel." ~ 1 COR 9:16. Woe to all of us that attend church and leave the gospel in the pew. Woe to me.
After Mass we were guided to the parish hall for a catered dinner. Upon arrival it was as if we entered one of the finest of dining establishments. White linens draped the candlelit tables. Servers dressed in all black served hors d'oeuvres and wine. We gathered for fellowship before dinner. Once the guests of honor arrived and greeted their guests we all sat down to eat.
Dinner was served after the food was blessed. Steak, mashed potatoes, carrots and salad were served beautifully as any restaurant could. Towards the end of dinner Archbishop began his presentation. Being from Columbia, he had a translator with him to share the message.
His message was one that came directly from the Pope. This papal initiative was the history behind the New Evangelization. He provided evidence that the words were not empty and that the Pope himself was being called to serve. It takes a man or woman of great faith to humble themselves to serve and sacrifice for others.
As Catholics, we are are accustomed to going to Mass every Sunday. We receive the Body and Blood of Christ. We read the readings, listen to the homily. We might even fellowship a little after Mass. Then what? What do we do with the Gospel? Do you leave it neatly in the pew until next week?
Pope Francis has shown since being called to become our Pope, that is not enough. There are viral images of his caring for the poor. He is known for sneaking out in the middle of the night to spend time attending to those in the slums. There have been bishops and cardinals tasked with attending to the least of these on the streets. Recently you may have even read in the news where he opened the Vatican to the homeless to take showers and receive haircuts and umbrellas. The Vatican is creating new facilities at St. Peter’s Square to help give people their dignity back.
“When a person has no means of washing themselves, they are rejected by society, and we all know a homeless person cannot enter a public establishment such as a bar or a restaurant and ask to use the bathroom because they are told to go away,” ~ Archbishop Konrad Krajewski
As Catholics, we are being called to care for the least of these as well. No longer can we sit on the sidelines and let the problems of the world be someone else's. It is the responsibility of every Catholic to share the Gospel. Blessed by the Holy Spirit at Baptism, it is time that we are set on fire for Christ and His Church.
Archbishop Arenas shared the papal vision in spreading the Gospel with the world. The Vatican recognizes the ways of the world. Anyone that is technologically savvy probably knows the Pope is active on twitter. They too have created a web presence and app to assist in sharing the evangelical mission.
“Today more than ever, the Church is in need of a deep and New Evangelization.” ~ Ricardo Grzona, frp
The time is now to get up, stand up, move and do something with our personal call from God. If you would like to learn more about this New Evangelization mission of the Catholic Church see www.fundacionpane.com and www.cristonautas.com
We have to let Jesus put our lives in order, but we must let Him do it. No longer can we hold onto the material things of this world in hopes of success or recognition. He knows your heart, your mind and your needs. In serving those lesser than ourselves we begin to live as Christ did. It is time the Catholic Church becomes the Body of Christ again. Time to evangelize and become the disciples we were born to be.
“He who gives generously to the needy; his kindness last forever” - 2 Corinthians 9, 6-15 BE MISSIONARY IN THE CHURCH WITH US
I am a Catholic writer raised in the Church, former young adult leader and current faith based leader, I blog occassionally at SecondIron's Blog , a faith based leadership blog where I write about leadership, family, books, movies and more. I am the owner of a purpose-driven marketing agency in Northeast Florida, HeartWired Digital Solutions where we work with small businesses and nonprofits in establishing their brand through web design, branding, social media as well as consulting services.
