|
INTENTION : |
That every baptised person may be engaged in evangelisation, available to the mission, by being witnesses of a life that has the flavour of the Gospel.
|
The Call to Live as Missionary Disciples
The call to evangelise is at the heart of our Christian faith. We are evangelisers at our core; it makes up our very identity. And yet, if we were to ask most people sitting in the church pews at Mass if they are evangelists, they would probably shake their heads and identify themselves in other terms: vocation, occupation, role in the family, country of origin.
The laity are experiencing an "identity crisis." We do not know or have forgotten who we are as members of the Body of Christ and what our role is within it. Today, Pope Francis echoes his predecessors in reminding the laity of their call to become missionary disciples. This is a call that originates from God Himself, with the Risen Christ saying to his beloved disciples before ascending to the Father, "Go and make disciples of all nations." These words reverberate ever more powerfully for us today.
Though the universal call to holiness and a greater emphasis on evangelisation has roots in the papacy of Pope Paul VI and within the Second Vatican Council, Pope Francis calls the concept of sharing our encounter with Jesus Christ using the means available to us "missionary discipleship."
"The new evangelisation calls for personal involvement on the part of each of the baptised," writes Pope Francis in The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium). "Every Christian is challenged, here and now, to be actively engaged in evangelisation; indeed, anyone who has truly experienced God's saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love." Once we have encountered Jesus Christ and His merciful love, we are called to bring that encounter to others, therefore playing a unique role in salvation history.
Below are five practical tips we came up with for living out the call to be a missionary disciple.
- Collaboration
If we are to be missionary disciples, we must be people of collaboration. This does not mean that we attend endless meetings, join committees, or fill every moment of our schedule. We propose collaboration from the beginning, which means a willingness to begin an endeavour communally with others-recognising the valuable role each person has. Collaboration must happen among, for, and with those in our parishes and organisations. It requires openness to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, humility, dialogue, and flexibility. How can you learn from others in your community, parish, family, workplace, or neighbourhood? How might God use the gifts and talents of a diverse group of people to strengthen His kingdom on earth?
- Technology
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to use the tools of this present age in order to re-present the Gospel to our world in a way that is innovative and re-invigorated. Today, an important tool that can be used to spread the Gospel message is technology, especially the internet. We can share valuable digital content, such as Scripture, the Catechism, and Papal and Conciliar documents, to become better informed about our faith. Technology can also create a new type of community, enabling us to connect with others and share information in a way that is cost-effective and not limited to physical proximity.
What are some ways you can use technology to spread the Gospel and help build a civilisation of love?
- Community/Parish Life
We do not exist in isolation. As Christians, our work of evangelisation will not bear much fruit if we do it alone. Our community, especially our parish, strengthens us and equips us to go outside our church walls in order to evangelise. It is within the parish that we receive the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, which gives us the grace of Christ Himself. In order to be effective as missionary disciples, we are called to have a vibrant sacramental life strengthened by our communities. Does your parish community strengthen you for your mission of discipleship?
- Relationships
Relationships outside of the parish are also crucial to missionary discipleship. As mentioned above, we do not exist in isolation. Do we have a mentor or spiritual guide helping us to grow in our faith life? By developing faith-filled relationships and surrounding ourselves with mentors and guides, we ensure that we continue to grow in our role as missionary disciples.
- Prayer
Prayer is crucial not only to a life of missionary discipleship but to the Christian life overall. Prayer is the foundation for our relationship with God, inviting us to get to know ourselves more deeply through his gaze of love and mercy and helping us to understand better our specific mission in building up the Body of Christ. Prayer can and should be both personal and communal. God speaks in the silence of our hearts, as well as through others.
Are we carving out time in silence to converse with God and hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit? Do we read Scripture, pray the Rosary, journal, sing hymns, or reflect? By having an active prayer life, we will be better equipped to become fruitful missionary disciples.
The call to missionary discipleship is both daunting and exciting, and we can live it out at any time. As Pope Francis wrote in The Joy of the Gospel, "Being a disciple means being constantly ready to bring the love of Jesus to others, and this can happen unexpectedly and in any place: on the street, in a city square, during work, on a journey."
Kate Fowler MD,
Leadership for the New Evangelization
from the Augustine Institute in Denver,
Colorado. USA
|
|
