“Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature” – Mark 16:15

The Gospel of Mark lets us conclude that every human experience, if given a chance, can speak to us of God. The commission to evangelize requires us to be poets or interpreters of everyday experiences. We help others see life as touched by God. We do that by looking at life in the light of faith. Evangelizing involves looking more deeply into the ordinary to see the Extraordinary and naming the divine graciousness sustaining us. Evangelization is about naming grace. Evangelists in every age do not make God present but name God’s presence. If you have good news, it’s natural to want to share it. We have a kind word at the ready, a hand to lend, and a shoulder to share burdens or catch tears. We tell the truth with love. We have peace at our core, and we share it. We work on our own growth, which leaves little time for gossip or judging. Most of all, we love people with the love we have received and forgive with the mercy we have been shown. The apostles did more than preach about Jesus; they shared the personal stories of their own development of a love relationship with Christ. Love became a golden thread that bound them to their listeners and captivated their hearts. That is why they became such astonishing convert makers. They used the most irresistible force ever invented to change people’s minds by changing people’s hearts first. That is why Easter time always seems as close to paradise as we get on earth and puts the fire and enthusiasm into evangelization.  

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *