WHAT IS THE FATE OF OUR FAITH? FAITH AS AN INSTRUMENT OF EVANGELIZATION Besides, this year of faith calls the Church and it’s faithful to be instruments of evangelization not by word of mouth but by action because action speaks louder than voice. For Saint Francis of Assisi says: “Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.” (380) Saint Francis of Assisi. According to Pope Francis: “Those who listen to us and observe us must be able to see in our actions what they hear from our lips, and so give glory to God! …..,. Inconsistency on the part of pastors and the faithful between what they say and what they do, between word and manner of life, is undermining the Church’s credibility.” (381) Pope Francis’ Homily at Basilica of Saint Paul Outside-the –Walls on 14/4/2013. Since we are the co-disciples of the New Testament, we must bear witnesses for Christ with faith and eloquence. We should also not be afraid to use our own limitations and sufferings as a mark of our faith in Christ who is to make all things new in us. (382) Matthew 10:5-15. (383) Mark 6:7-13. (384) Luke 9:1-6. Our dialogue with our unbelieving brothers and sisters is the same old but new message of Andrew to his brother Peter, come we have seen the Lord. (385) John 1:40-41 and 43-45. Mary Magdalene reechoes this good news when she made her confession to the frightened Apostles in this words: I have seen the Lord!. (386) John 20:18. Who is this Lord they may ask us? Our answer is simple, He is the Lord of yesterday, today and tomorrow. The I am, that I am. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (387) Exodus 3:14-15. Also, in spreading this message, we must realize that it is God that owns the gospel and not man before we get carried away in the course of this work. In the word of Pope Benedict XVI: “Through Christ, God is the principal subject of evangelization in the world; but Christ himself wished to pass on his own mission to the Church; he did so, and continues to do so, until the end of time pouring out his Spirit upon the disciples, the same Spirit who came upon him and remained in him during all his earthly life, giving him the strength to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord . (388) Homily of Pope Benedict XVI to open the year of faith. (389)Luke 4:18-19. Pope Francis also added: “Impart to everyone the word of God which you have received with joy. Remember your mothers, your grandmothers, your catechists, who gave you the word of God, the faith ... the gift of faith! They transmitted to you this gift of faith. Meditating on the law of the Lord, see that you believe what you read, that you teach what you believe, and that you practice what you teach. Remember too that the word of God is not your property: it is the word of God. And the Church is the custodian of the word of God.” (390) Homily of Pope Francis at Vatican Basilica on 21/4/2013 at the Ordination of New Priest. Therefore, let us pray that in this year of faith the Holy Spirit will inspire us to transmit the faith we received to others and win souls for Christ. Another dimension of this gospel of evangelization is that we must learn to accept everyone without prejudice, without discrimination and without reticence, but rather with sincere love, giving them the very best of ourselves and, especially, sharing with them our most worthwhile possession; which is Christ and his Gospel. (391) Homily of Pope Francis at Saint Peter’s Square on 7th Sunday of Easter on 12/5/2013. In other words, the Gospel must be preached to all, Jews and Gentiles, the educated and the ignorant, the civilized and the uncivilized, the Christian and the non-Christian all of which partook in Christ death and resurrection. (392) Romans 1:14. This is because there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free people, between men and women; since we are all one through faith in Christ Jesus. (393) Galatians 3:28. (394) Colossians 3:11. We must see this evangelization as a means of helping these brothers and sisters carry their daily crosses. (395) Romans 15:1. In other words, there may be problems in the course of this journey but we must bear it as they come. This is because to follow Christ with faith is a matter of a conscious choice. Christ at different occasions came out openly to talk to his disciples that he will suffer and be put to death. (396) Matthew 16:21. (397) Matthew 17:22-23. (398) Matthew 20:18-19. (399) Mark 10:33-34. (403) Luke 21:12-19. Even Saint Paul listed to the Corinthians that catalogue of problems he encountered bearing witness for Christ. (400) 2 Corinthians 11:21-29. In this way, evangelization calls for courage in the midst of woes. In the midst of trials and tribulations and great persecution when all seem to be lost; when life seem meaningless and useless; we can hold on to our faith and proclaim the God we believe in and who is more than capable of giving us back our lives if we lose it. In one of his Homilies Pope Francis stated that: “…. what strikes us is the strength of Peter and the other Apostles. In response to the order to be silent, no longer to teach in the name of Jesus, no longer to proclaim his message, they respond clearly: “We must obey God, rather than men”. And they remain undeterred even when flogged, ill-treated and imprisoned. Peter and the Apostles proclaim courageously, fearlessly, what they have received: the Gospel of Jesus....” (401) Homily of Pope Francis at Basilica of Saint Paul Outside-the-Walls on third Sunday of Easter 14/4/2013. (402) Acts of the Apostles 4:19-20. We can be imbued when we realize that what we suffer in the present life cannot be compared at all with the glory that can be revealed to us. (402) Romans 8:18. Saint Stephen bore witness of this when the heavens were open and he saw the glory of God. (403) Acts of the Apostles 7:56. Most importantly, in all these trials and tribulations the grace of God is sufficient to sustain us. (404) 2 Corinthians 12:7-9.
Posted on: Wed, 20 Nov 2013 08:32:45 +0000
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