Those who have followed this column over the past several months have been introduced to six different aspects of the evangelization process. Each one represents an essential element of the cycle through which both individuals and parishes progress. Presently we will summarize these stages as a way of putting all of the pieces of this evangelization progression together into a cohesive structure that can help us better to appreciate the dynamics involved.
The full cycle included the following article titles: Invitations, Encounters, Communities of Life and Love, Faith Formation, Intentional Discipleship, Ministry and Outreach, and Pre-Evangelization. I began by reflecting on our need first to invite Jesus into our hearts, our families and our lives before we can share Him with others (i.e. evangelize) and participate in parish programs and activities to help ourselves to grow as disciples.
Encounters with the Lord essentially are our response to His invitation to become more closely united to Him. We described encounters as “deliberate and grace-filled opportunities for God’s children to have their hearts, minds and souls changed for the better by coming into close personal contact with the Lord of Life.” Such intimate contact with God often occurs during a retreat experience, such as a Cursillo, Marriage Encounter or Light of the World parish retreat. Encounter experiences remind us of the deep personal love God has for us and that He has meaningful and fulfilling plans for each of our lives.
Experiencing the love of Jesus enhances our ability to share this love with others in the context of a community of life and love, the most common being the family. Even while we strengthen family bonds we are building up our parish communities. The Holy Trinity provides us with the ideal community of persons who work intimately together in perfect love. Parish families strive to imitate such unity as they work and pray together, especially in small groups.
Faith formation takes place in the form of catechesis in a wide array of offerings at the parish, ranging from Bible studies to RCIA classes, from books and tapes to websites, from Catholic education to youth camps, and the list goes on. The availability of quality Catholic resources has never been greater than it is in our day. Each of us needs to be a life-long learner in order to be an effective evangelizer. As the old saying goes, “You can’t give what you ain’t got!”
Intentional discipleship flows naturally from those who begin to take their faith more seriously. It is what people see in those who advance beyond a minimalistic mentality and really strive to be the very best possible disciple of Jesus every single day. Intentional disciples take their prayer life seriously, practice generosity and charity, and conscientiously follow God’s commands. They participate actively in the mission of the Church, which is to share God’s love and the gift of salvation with all people. In short, they are dynamic Catholics.
Ministry and outreach is the work of those with the love of Jesus in their hearts. While there certainly exists a number of “do-gooders” in our society, the vast majority of work for the poor, the disadvantaged and the downtrodden is done by those who strive daily to imitate the charity of Jesus, which is fundamentally an extension of their own intimate love for Him.
Pre-evangelization brings the process full circle. Just as we invited Jesus more deeply into our lives, now we help set the stage for others to do so as well. We welcome and invite people into our churches by way of friendliness and hospitality. We share the joy we have in Christ by offering them resources that can establish, enlighten and enliven their faith.
As Catholics we are called to complete this “evangelization loop” in our lives, careful not simply to engage in one or another component of it. Likewise, our parishes strive to provide the opportunities and resources needed to employ every phase of the cycle. This process certainly is one in which we, as Catholics, want to stay “in the loop,” especially since so much is at stake.
