Ministry Tip of the Week
by Seth Evangelho
Everyone is called to holiness, and everyone is called to evangelize. These are the two universal vocations given to us in baptism. We all share in the mission of Christ. He continually fills us with himself (holiness) and he sends us out into the world to extend his redeeming presence to others (evangelization); that's the core of Christian truth.
Even the youngest among us have the capacity to spread the love of Christ, and it's our job to make sure they know it. They have a mission. They were born with a mission. How often do they hear that? As they grow, so too will their role in the mission (the full strength of the commissioning is given sacramentally at Confirmation, whatever age that might be).
Our journey of faith is twofold, and it needs to be recognized from the beginning. As we mature in faith, we're coming to know the love of the Lord more deeply, to trust in him more fully, and to allow his Spirit to transform us through the superabundant gift of grace (i.e. Jesus' very life living and working in us). Simultaneously, however, we're being prepared and equipped, sent in every moment to spread this truth and love to others (i.e.Jesus' mission).
Finally, lest we get lost in this sense of personal mission to the neglect of our personal holiness (which has been known to happen), there's one last point to make. Emphasizing the mission is a way to lead people closer to Jesus. As we learn to identify with our mission as Church, we draw closer to the Lord (CCC 1303).His mission becomes our mission. His love becomes our love. In other words, evangelizing others is a way to evangelize ourselves. Bringing someone else closer to Jesus draws our own souls deeper into his heart. It's mysteriously true, and profound to experience.
**IMPORTANT: If we don't have this experience, it may be that we're serving in the wrong area of the mission, that our gifts are not being properly channeled, or that our true gifts haven't been fully discovered and/or embraced.
Therefore, to teach our children and our students to discover their unique gifts of evangelization will indirectly help them to grow in their own faith. The more we share Christ, the more we ourselves fall in love with him
Our journey of faith is twofold, and it needs to be recognized from the beginning. As we mature in faith, we're coming to know the love of the Lord more deeply, to trust in him more fully, and to allow his Spirit to transform us through the superabundant gift of grace (i.e. Jesus' very life living and working in us). Simultaneously, however, we're being prepared and equipped, sent in every moment to spread this truth and love to others (i.e.Jesus' mission).
Finally, lest we get lost in this sense of personal mission to the neglect of our personal holiness (which has been known to happen), there's one last point to make. Emphasizing the mission is a way to lead people closer to Jesus. As we learn to identify with our mission as Church, we draw closer to the Lord (CCC 1303).His mission becomes our mission. His love becomes our love. In other words, evangelizing others is a way to evangelize ourselves. Bringing someone else closer to Jesus draws our own souls deeper into his heart. It's mysteriously true, and profound to experience.
**IMPORTANT: If we don't have this experience, it may be that we're serving in the wrong area of the mission, that our gifts are not being properly channeled, or that our true gifts haven't been fully discovered and/or embraced.
Therefore, to teach our children and our students to discover their unique gifts of evangelization will indirectly help them to grow in their own faith. The more we share Christ, the more we ourselves fall in love with him
Emphasizing the mission brings purpose and direction to all that we do. It lays a solid foundation to understand the richness of the Gospel message. Jesus Christ is alive. He conquered death, and now lives forever. So he's here with us on the mission. (Happy Easter!) We're never sent out to go it alone. Jesus is with us every step of the way. It truly is his power that animates and propels a life of holiness and the work of evangelization, for we are the instruments of a living Lord. Christ is among us. The mission is to make it known. Alleluia!
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