A few years ago I was driving into Aberdeen and saw a large billboard sponsored by St. Mary’s and Sacred Heart parishes inviting fallen-away Catholics to come home. It was an exciting moment. Someone was taking the call of evangelization seriously. I have found this a rare gift among Catholics, and yet the scriptures are clear: “Go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations.” Mt. 28:19
Each one of us is called to spread the faith extending the Kingdom of God. Every social gathering is a good opportunity for making this happen. Religion can be discussed in polite company. “Whenever God opens a door for the word in order to declare the mystery of Christ, then the living God, and He whom He has sent for the salvation of all, Jesus Christ, are confidently and perseveringly proclaimed to all.” (Ad Gentes, par. 13)
The truth is that most of us are either cowards or lazy when it comes to spreading the Good News. Remember, many people depend on our word and example if they are to receive the grace to follow Christ more closely.
When Father Greg Tschakert moved to Aberdeen several years ago as pastor at St. Mary’s, he spent his first summer finding those who were no longer practicing their faith. Riding his bike up and down the streets of the parish, he would stop for a moment and invite them back to church.
Not surprisingly, St. Mary’s parish was well represented last year at the diocesan training sessions for effective evangelization. This program called the “Light of the World” retreat has been very effective in other dioceses in the United States. It helps the local community “to speak the word of God without fear.”
Every parish community is called to be a ray of light in the midst of so much darkness. We must present our Lord’s teaching in an attractive manner, using as St. Francis said, words if necessary. God is waiting for the crowds who today are like sheep without a shepherd, lost in our secular culture. I’m afraid we have too many parishes in this diocese that are comfortable with themselves and see no need to evangelize anyone. For some, interest fades after a quick liturgy with a short sermon and a good breakfast.
The people whose path we cross in life have the right to expect us to help them get to know Jesus better. We need to see this as a Christian duty. “We need,” says Pope John Paul II, “heralds of the Gospel who are experts in humanity, who know the depths of the heart of man today, who share in his hopes and joys, his worries and his sadness, and at the same time are contemplatives, in love with God. For this, new saints are needed.” (John Paul II, October 11, 1985)
As Pope Paul VI said, “Evangelization is the essential mission of the Church.” It can take place in dynamic preaching, baptismal preparation, religious education, inviting a neighbor who does not worship to join your family for Sunday Mass and praying for a son or daughter who has stopped going to church. Evangelization transforms from within and therefore demands our personal involvement.
Each of us must ask in prayer how we can be better witnesses to the faith and pray for courage to invite others to follow Christ. We need to ask what obstacles we put in the way by our own behavior, and pray for the grace of an evangelizer’s heart. Who could we reach if we were less comfort-seeking and more in love with God.
Every pastor must examine his conscience, mindful that everyone has the right to know the riches of the mystery of Christ, and see how he can develop an evangelizing faith community through teaching, preaching and pastoral leadership.
The first priority of every parish pastoral council is to make sure that their parish is an evangelizing parish. If my figures are correct, 250,000 people in the State of South Dakota are waiting to be evangelized. There is plenty of work to be done.