Evangelization Begins with Friendship
Dear Sisters & Brothers in Christ,
In today’s Gospel passage we hear Jesus say to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” Those who embrace the apostolic faith, passed down through the Church that Christ established, are called to be lights in the darkness, aflame with faith, hope and love.
In October 2019, our Archdiocese sponsored a convocation attended by over 1,500 key Catholic leaders, both clergy and laity, entitled, “Enflame Our Hearts: Be Disciples, Make Disciples”. The convocation was the launch of an initiative to help parish leaders and others build a culture of evangelization. The hope was to bring about a wave of missionary disciples enflamed with the Holy Spirit. While the convocation was a great success and some missionary efforts bore great fruit, the full impact was smothered by the Covid pandemic that took hold in early 2020. The work of building a culture of evangelization remains.
If we observe Jesus’ example, the process of evangelization begins with befriending others. Jesus began his ministry by befriending people, first off, the apostles. We too begin evangelizing by intentionally and warmly welcoming others into relationship, meeting them where they are in their faith walk, and then, when they are ready, sharing with them the “Good News” of God’s love and truth revealed in Jesus Christ, i.e., the Gospel.
Christians are called to share the truth in love. Love without truth, love based on mere sentiment or worse, on falsehood, is not love at all. But truth, shared without love, can be brutal. Yet Jesus warns us that sharing the truth, even when done in love, will sometimes bring division, serious division. Not everyone is ready to hear the truth, especially if they are not convinced that the one announcing it truly cares about them and loves them.
This is the challenge for every follower of Jesus, for each disciple has been called to evangelize. Pray for the wisdom and grace to speak the truth in love. Start with hospitality, friendship, and a listening ear, but don’t stop there. Let love always prompt you to eventually share the truth God has revealed and thus, the truth of who each of us is, in light of that revelation.
Sincerely yours in Christ Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life,
