Effective evangelization demands all from us

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

THAT should be clear to us, considering what Christ told his 72 disciples. “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few,” he said. “So, ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.” (Lk 10,2-4)

We should not worry about the material aspects of our duty to evangelize. While we truly need some material means for evangelization, we know that as long as we do our part also, God will always provide for all our needs, especially in this duty of ours to evangelize.

We need to have trusting attitude toward God’s powerful providence. “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?  Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (Mt 6,26)

With these words, Christ clearly tells us to be trusting of God’s ever wise and merciful Providence. He will provide everything that we need, especially the one that matters most to us. We may experience some privations, some losses, etc., but if we stick with God, we know that everything will always work out for the good. (cfr. Rom 8,28)

We should just focus our attention to this task of evangelization, which is not only a matter of transmitting some doctrine but rather that of transmitting to people the very life and spirit of Christ.

We need to be most aware of our duty to evangelize, to do apostolate, seeing to it that for it is always nourished, stoked and fanned to its most intense degree.

Before ascending into heaven, Christ told his apostles: “All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. Go, therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…” (Mt 28,18-19)

While addressed directly to his apostles, these words are meant for all those who want to follow Christ. To do apostolate is part of a Christian’s duty. It’s part of a Christian’s identity. A Christian is always an apostle. No one is excused from it.

We have to understand that these parting words of Christ represent his culminating and ultimate desire for our redemption. We can say that all he did in his earthly life—his preaching, doing miracles, his dying—get somehow summarized in this one great desire of God.

That’s because the divine work of human redemption continues. It cannot stop. This time though, it is done with our cooperation, since if we are incorporated into him through baptism and in the Spirit, we can’t avoid getting involved in God’s plans and actions.

The realization of this crucial aspect of our Christian life gives meaning and perspective to our whole life and everything contained in it. It puts our life in the right orbit.

Our life can’t simply be a life in pursuit of personal sanctity without doing apostolate. These two go together inseparably, mutually affecting each other to put us in the right track in our life.

We should give everything to this duty to evangelize, always trusting in God’s providence, assuming always a sporting and adventurous outlook that would greatly facilitate the carrying out of this duty.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com