The contemporary world we live in creates new challenges for the mission of the church. In response to those challenges and as an approach to re-direct and re-focus the Church’s priorities, the concept of New Evangelization has flourished. But the concept of New Evangelization should not be confused as a new message. As Blessed John Paul II once proclaimed “Evangelization cannot be new in its content since its very theme is always the one gospel given in Jesus Christ.”
In the Church’s writings about Evangelization it means most fundamentally the proclamation of the basic Christian message: salvation through Jesus Christ.
According to Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) “To evangelize means: to show this path—to teach the art of living. At the beginning of his public life Jesus says: I have come to evangelize the poor (Luke 4:18); this means: I have the response to your fundamental question; I will show you the path of life, the path toward happiness—rather: I am that path.”
It is our call, our commitment to live out that path. We must be promoting a culture more deeply grounded in the Gospel. But most importantly we cannot keep it to ourselves. We must proclaim Christ. We should not be afraid of the joy in the message that we have received because if not we will end up imprisoned by fear.
Donald Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington firmly proclaims that New Evangelization is not a program. Archbishop Cardinal Wuerl says it is an outlook on life and a personal invitation to rediscover Christ and his message.
Archbishop Cardinal Wuerl asks that Catholics reflect together on how we can renew the Gospel message and Christ’s love, first in our own hearts and then, having grown in our faith, by inviting others to hear once again, maybe all over again for the first time, the exciting invitation of Jesus: “Come, follow me.”
Interestingly, many lay Catholics still think evangelization is a task just for priests and religious. But honestly it is a task for every baptized Christian. Nowadays, with a decreased number of priests and religious, it’s especially important that lay Catholics get involved in spreading the faith. As a lay Catholic of the church I think the method of “Believe – Share – Transform” is one method that is most effective for evangelization. Sharing is key to conversion and transformation. Taking that time to just even show an act of kindness expresses God’s message. Living out grace and keeping faith is a process but to the same affect it is important that we as baptized Christians, children in image and likeness of God have patience for one another. We should be building each other up not down. Believing and sharing God with others is key to sharing the message of the Good News.
