Christians are called to be disciples of Jesus with a mission, going out from their small circles to make disciples of all nations, Pope Francis taught today during the closing Mass of World Youth Day.
“Jesus is speaking to each one of us, saying: ‘It was wonderful to take part in World Youth Day, to live the faith together with young people from the four corners of the earth, but now you must go; now you must pass on this experience to others,’” Pope Francis told the crowd of pilgrims on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach July 28 during his homily for the Mass for the Evangelization of Peoples.
The first need for evangelization is to “go,” Pope Francis taught. “During these days here in Rio, you have been able to enjoy the wonderful experience of meeting Jesus … and you have sensed the joy of faith,” he reflected with the pilgrims.
“But the experience of this encounter must not remain locked up in your life or in the small group of your parish, your movement or your community.”
When faith stays “locked up” within a small Christian community, it is “like withholding oxygen from a flame that was burning strongly,” Pope Francis preached.
“Faith is a flame that grows stronger the more it is shared and passed on, so that everyone may know, love and confess Jesus Christ.”
“Jesus did not say: ‘If you would like to, if you have the time,’” the Bishop of Rome admonished his fellow pilgrims.
The command to evangelize, to make disciples of all nations, is not optional, not conditional.
Said the Pope, “It is a command that is born not from a desire for domination or power, but from the force of love, from the fact that Jesus first came into our midst and gave us, not a part of himself, but the whole of himself; he gave his life in order to save us and to show us the love and mercy of God.”
In sending us out, Christ remains always with us, the Pope assured his listeners: “He is always beside us in our mission of love.”
The Church is meant to evangelize all persons, Pope Francis taught, saying there are “no borders, no limits” to where Christians are sent to evangelize.
“The Gospel is for everyone, not just for some,” he continued. “It is not only for those who seem closer to us, more receptive, more welcoming.”
“Do not be afraid to go and to bring Christ into every area of life, to the fringes of society, even to those who seem farthest away, most indifferent. The Lord seeks all; he wants everyone to feel the warmth of his mercy and his love.”
He appealed in particular to the youth of Latin America to proclaim the Gospel in their homes “with fresh power.” The best tool for evangelizing young people, he said, is “another young person.”
Pope Francis’ second point about evangelization was: “Do not be afraid.” Being a Christian does not require “particular preparation,” he said, but a realization that Christ accompanies us.
“When we go to proclaim Christ, it is he himself who goes before us and guides us.”
Not only is Christ with us when we go on mission, but the Church and the communion of saints accompany us as well, because “we are sent together,” the Pope reminded the pilgrims.
“When we face challenges together, then we are strong; we discover resources we did not know we had. Jesus did not call the apostles to live in isolation; he called them to form a group, a community.”
Pope Francis added that service is an important aspect of evangelization. The “new song” sung to the Lord “does not consist of words; it is not a melody,” he said, but is, rather, “the song of your life; it is allowing our life to be identified with that of Jesus. It is sharing his sentiments … his actions.”
“And the life of Jesus is a life for others. It is a life of service.”
Evangelization, the Roman Pontiff taught, is “bearing personal witness to the love of God; it is overcoming our selfishness; it is serving by bending down to wash the feet of our brethren, as Jesus did.”
The three marks of evangelization, going, being unafraid and serving, will end up evangelizing the evangelist, the Pope assured the young pilgrims.
“Dear young friends, as you return to your homes, do not be afraid to be generous with Christ, to bear witness to his Gospel.”
Evangelization, he said, brings “God’s power to pluck up and break down evil and violence, to overthrow the barriers of selfishness, intolerance and hatred, so as to build a new world.”
“Jesus Christ is counting on you! The Church is counting on you! The Pope is counting on you,” he told them.
Pope Francis concluded by praying that Mary, Christ’s Mother “and our Mother,” might “always accompany you with her tenderness.”
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The Words of Pope Francis to the youth and to all ” To live and internalize our Faith by evangelization ,for thru Jesus love manifest to pluck evil .”
Fred,
Good points you make—context, background, perspective all make a difference. I don’t ever see myself being “in your face,” but I would include adding non-Catholics to some e-mail forwards from NCR, Catholic Spiritual Direction, and other Catholic websites as possibly evangelizing without the hard sell. Similarly, inviting Catholics who may not be practicing much anymore to Catholic conferences wouldn’t, at least in my view, be over the top. They can choose to ignore, delete, or have the e-mails blocked, for example.
I have a business friend who is an evangelical—we met for lunch recently and shared our own personal witness—not in a competing or selling way, but just talking about what a personal relationship with Jesus has been doing for each of us.
I can’t speak for the Pope, but I suspect his message is not what your past experience would make you think it was. Just my two-bits. Thanks for engaging in this discussion
Dom and Stan - Perhaps its easier for everyone to see it than me, because as a convert the Popes words to me resonate with the evangelical protestant way of doing things, which is hit the street and be “in your face Christians”, which virtually wins no converts or brings no one to Jesus. I can attest to that, because when approached like that before coming into the Church I was only turned off by Christianity and I can tell you of many more that turned there back on Christianity for the same reasons. The only time that I ever found that I listened was when people just lived there lives as good Christians and I became inquisitive and asked them questions, then they were prepared to talk and I was prepared to listen. That to me is live the Word and speak when necessary, which also means that I just live my life day to day and I’m prepared to talk when necessary - when people are open.
Fred,
I didn’t read it quite that way—
“Evangelization, the Roman Pontiff taught, is “bearing personal witness to the love of God; it is overcoming our selfishness; it is serving by bending down to wash the feet of our brethren, as Jesus did.”
The three marks of evangelization, going, being unafraid and serving, will end up evangelizing the evangelist, the Pope assured the young pilgrims.”
To me, that means living the Word and serving others in doing so, and there’s nothing wrong with being contemplative. I think that we as Catholics however have been too introverted about our faith even if some are living it and showing it by example. My wife and I struggle with this as we’ve become involved in our parish but really don’t get out with other folks that much to bear witness, so to speak, so I see it as a challenge to overcome myself—not by knocking on doors necessarily, but by not being afraid to talk about our faith with others, as an example.
I don’t see a contradiction myself. In reading the above, I don’t see where he tells us to evangelize door-to-door or even specifically via speech. I read that it is definitely our actions, and that it can also be with speech depending on circumstances. But that overall we shouldn’t just stick with each other (hanging out with the choir, so to speak) but we should bring God out into the outside (of the Church) world and not be afraid to get in the mix and try to make it better.
This Pope puzzles me. As I read these words they make me feel like we are all suppose to be walking up and down our blocks knocking on doors like jehovah witnesses. He almost makes you feel that if you have a different charism from his approach that you are doing everything wrong. I don’t ever get the sense from his words that you are allowed to be contemplative, living the word and speaking when necessary.
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