As a Christian we know that we have a duty to help proclaim the Gospel to all nations. Reflecting on this duty might conjure up notions of missionary activity in far away locations where the Gospel has never been preached. Think again. Our modern North American culture with its emphasis on “self” gives each of us an opportunity to evangelize right here at home and the need for evangelization is huge.
One need not go any further than the American political drama portrayed on television each day as we approach the November 8th,2016 U.S. election to see just how far our culture has strayed from its moral roots. What would have been dismissed as totally unacceptable a few short decades ago is now presumably ingrained into the fabric of our culture and treated as acceptable. Moreover, if you dare to disagree, current cultural correctness leaves you open to censure and persecution.
None of this, of course, should be news to the Evangelist. Christians have historically had to preach and give witness in hostile environments. The history of Christendom is littered with the blood of martyrs but the history of Christendom is also marked by spread of the Gospel to hungry souls who would not have come to know Jesus except for the efforts of those Christians who submerged their personal desires to those of their Creator.
As we reflect on these issues, the Spirit will be calling us to action. We start, I believe, by analyzing our personal relationship with God. How much emphasis are we placing day to day on nourishing that relationship. If we are Catholic Christians are we utilizing the sacraments particularly the sacrament of reconciliation and are we frequenting the Eucharist? Where Adoration is available are we taking advantage of that? Do we spend time in scripture each day and are we learning to pray with scripture? We need to take on the mind of Christ if we are to be the hands, feet, voice and heart to those lost souls who we encounter and we encounter them each day. They need not be strangers. They may be friends or family members or work colleagues.
One thing is certain! We definitely need to witness to something that is infinitely more delightful and more profoundly important and meaningful than what the world represented by our modern culture offers. The means by which we get that message across is the subject of our reflection.
If you haven’t done so already, call on the Holy Spirit to show you how the Spirit wants you to contribute to the new evangelization. As you travel the path of authentic Discipleship your witness to those around you will be the sign of contradiction that many lost souls long to see.
God Gracious 