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August 31, 2020Second in a series
By John and Therese Boucher Special to The CFP
Through baptism, we have been called to embrace Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life. And through the Holy Spirit, whom we received at baptism, we have been strengthened to live out this calling in simple but dynamic ways. The living waters of the baptismal font are not meant to stagnate. No, baptism is an ongoing reality. It empowers us to acknowledge Jesus in our everyday world, especially in ways that bring people to him. In this time of pandemic,1 suffering people around the world need to hear the good news of God’s love for us in the person and work of Jesus.
One might be wondering, “How could I ever bring anyone to God or to the Church? I’m no expert evangelist!” But you don’t need to be an expert; you just need to have experienced Jesus’ love. Pope Francis, in his apostolic exhortation “The Joy of the Gospel,” wrote, “Anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love.”
The fact is, we are probably already witnessing to our faith by the way we care for people in the course of our daily life – acknowledging, thanking, and encouraging our neighbors, health care professionals, police, firefighters, and all those with essential jobs (especially in low paid and dangerous situations). These can become perfect opportunities to help people experience Jesus in new ways. In the words of Pope Francis, “Today, as the Church seeks to experience a profound missionary renewal, there is a kind of preaching which falls to each of us as a daily responsibility. It has to do with bringing the Gospel to the people we meet, whether they be our neighbors or complete strangers.”
When Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan, he wasn’t just immersed in water; he was plunged into the depths of his Father’s love for him. He experienced the power of the Holy Spirit flooding his soul and driving him outward to the whole world.
After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22)
Then the Holy Spirit sent him out to share the good news of God’s love with everyone. Can we imagine the people’s surprise when they heard Jesus in the synagogue in Nazareth, where he had grown up? His faith and zeal were apparent as he told the people that Isaiah’s prophecy was being fulfilled in him. St. Luke tells us in Chapter 4:22, “All spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.”
Through the sacraments of initiation – baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist – we too are gifted with the Holy Spirit and sent to continue Jesus’ evangelizing mission. We are invited to bring the good news of Jesus into our families, homes, neighborhoods, communities, parishes, and workplaces.
Pope Paul VI, in the landmark 1975 apostolic exhortation, “Evangelization in the Modern World,” encouraged us as individuals and as parishes to consciously choose evangelization: “Evangelizing is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity. She exists in order to evangelize.”
– This article was from the June 2020 issue of “The Word Among Us” magazine. Used with permission. The book “Sharing the Faith That You Love,” by John and Therese Boucher, from which these articles were adapted, is available at www.bookstore.wau.org.
