The Good News is intended for all people. It was Christ himself
who commanded his apostles to go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good
News to all creatures.[1] This command is carried on
today by the successors of the apostles, the bishops, in union with their
coworkers, the priests, and indeed by all the members of the Church including
the laity.[2] The Good News is spread to
three different groups of people namely, those already in the Church, those who
have fallen away from the Church and those who do not yet know the faith. The
Church is truly right to see "before her an immense multitude of people
who need the Gospel and have a right to it, for God 'wants everyone to be saved
and reach full knowledge of the truth."[3]
People do not proclaim the Good News on their own merit; rather
they are commissioned by Christ for "they will never have a preacher
unless one is sent."[4] Evangelization can never
be seen as an individual or act but rather must always be seen as an ecclesial
act. Yet while evangelization is an ecclesial act, one that should be in union
with Rome at all times, it takes place at a much more local level, in an
ecclesial community.
In this ecclesial community each person has a role to play. The
pastor is responsible to establish, develop and nourish the community. The
laity are called to take the Gospel message they have received an live it out
in the world in all of their actions.[5] In short that pastor must
nourish the lay faithful, providing for their needs to that they can then take
the message of the Gospel out into the world.
The priest certainly
has an obligation to preach the Gospel to all people, yet his primary ministry
is to those who are already in the fold.[6] The laity likewise has an
obligation to preach the Gospel to all peoples by their actions yet, in virtue
of living in the world, their primary task of evangelization is to those who
have either fallen away from the Church or have not heard the saving message of
the Gospel. I am constantly reminded of the words of Bishop Rice who says that
he preaches to the people in the pews and then they go out and carry that
message to the four corners of the world. No one is excused from the obligation
to preach the New Evangelization. All of us are called to participate in the New
Evangelization in ways appropriate to our state in life.
[1] "Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that
I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the
age." Mt 28: 19-20
[2] The Catechism of the Catholic
Church is clear that this mission has been protected by the bishops but is to
be handed on from generation to generation by all Christians. “This treasure, received from the apostles, has been
faithfully guarded by their successors. All Christ's faithful are called to
hand it on from generation to
generation, by professing the faith, by living it in fraternal sharing, and by
celebrating it in liturgy and prayer.” Catechism
of the Catholic Church par.3.
[6] We must never forget that while
preaching is essential to the life of a priest his primary task is to offer the
sacraments.
No comments:
Post a Comment