In the process of being formed in our faith we have heard lot about a) Lord’s Great Commandments ("You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and the first commandment. And the second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” - Matthew 22:35-40) and b) His New commandment (“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another - John 13:34). We can say we have a fair good knowledge about these commandments and we are serious about obeying these commandments in our lives. But there is also another important Commandment of our Lord to be followed: the Great Commission “Go out to the whole world and preach the Good News to all creation”(Mk 16: 15-16). Are we familiar with this Great Commission of the Lord and are we serious about following it?

 

What makes this Great Commission of our Lord important to us so that it should be part of faith-formation instructions?  It is important because it was given by Jesus at the moment of his Farewell. They were his Last Words before ascending into heaven; and it was the last wish of the Master. And why it is a Great? It is great because it is given by a Great God, it is given for a Great Plan, it is given with a Great Authority and it is given with a Great Promise.  If you and me because of our negligence for whatever reasons have not obeyed it then we have turned this 'Great Commission' into a Great Omission and in the word of St. Paul “Woe to me if  I do not preach the Gospel”(1 Cor 9:16).

 

The faith received and nourished should be shared with others. It is not to be kept with us. Unless one share the faith, others will not know it. The result of sharing is what Evangelii Nuntiandi states “The Church is born of the evangelizing activity of Jesus and the Twelve. She is the normal, desired, most immediate and most visible fruit of this activity: "Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations" (Mt 28:19). Now, "they accepted what he said and were baptized. That very day about three thousand were added to their number”(EN15). Since then the Church has grown because of her evangelizing activities and it continues to grow and it will not stop. It exists in order to evangelise (EN 14).

 

What about you and me? We have received precious gift of faith from our God. We are commanded by our Lord to share it with others thus fulfilling the Great Commission of our Lord "Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations. “(Mt 28:16-20). Loving one’s faith implies bearing witness to it, that is bringing it to others and allowing others to participate in it. We cannot close on ourself. By sharing this faith we continue the plan of Jesus of one passing on the faith to others.   The strategy of Jesus is that one disciple make other disciples.  What is not believed and lived cannot be transmitted. Being with Christ (Mk 3:13-14) creates in one the feeling of being compelled to transmit and share what is lived as a good and something positive and beautiful (LM 12).  The responsibility of transmitting is of everyone who has experienced Christ. If transmission does  not take place, it means that one has not experienced Christ.  Transmitting of the faith is “rendering an account and providing reasons “for the hope which is in you”(1 Pet 3:15). The basis of sharing the life of Christ with others is life in Christ. We are called to know Christ and to make Him known.

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One of the powerful way of proclaiming Christ is through one’s life witness.  No doubt life witness to the person and message of Jesus Christ by the Christians is most powerful means of evangelization. The life style, behavior, priorities and action of Christians are very important for evangelizing witness.  “Through this wordless witness these Christians stir up irresistible questions in the hearts of those who see how they live……Such a witness is already a silent proclamation of the Good News and a very powerful and effective one.” (EN 20). "Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses." (EN 41)

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The document tells us “The Good News proclaimed by the witness of life sooner or later has to be proclaimed by the word of life. There is no true evangelization if the name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the kingdom and the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God are not proclaimed” (EN 22). Beside, witnessing with one’s life one should not shy away from sharing one’s faith with others on one to one basis.    It is one heart, filled with Christ experience, carrying and offering Jesus Christ to another heart.  

 

Evangelization is a “Heart Business”. Evangelization is giving Jesus to others.  Our Lord did not missed out on any opportunity. He encountered Nicodemus, Zacchaeus, the Samaritan woman, Simon the Pharisee and challenged them and introduced them to faith. We too should not miss any opportunity of sharing one’s personal faith.  (EN 46).

 

In the past (and even presently), for most Catholics evangelization was perceived to be the work of a special group within the Church, e.g., those with a special vocation, missionaries, priests or catechists. After Vatican II however, it is clear that the call is to the entire people of God. All Christians are called to be evangelizers (EN 20). It is the responsibility of all members of the People of God. Those who have come into genuine contact with Christ cannot keep him for themselves, they must proclaim him( LM 25, CL 34).

 

Earlier evangelization was for those who do not know Christ. After Vatican II evangelization has a broader concept. It is also for those who know Christ.  It is presenting Jesus Christ to all men in all places in all ages. It is bringing Christ to those who are called Christians, but to whom Christ has no significance any more for whatever reason.  It is to those who know him but did not accept him in faith. To those who profess Christ as God, but do not seek him and do not see a need for it. To those who know Christianity by tradition but have not encountered Jesus personally.  And finally it is presenting or proclaiming Christ to those who were once Christians but have lapsed or deserted or forgotten gospel due to various reasons. 

 

It is no more we wait for the people to come to the Church to hear the Good News but rather we go out to them with the Good News as our present Pope Francis is been saying.  This we learn from Jesus also who himself went to the people. He did not miss any single opportunity to proclaim the Good News whenever and wherever he was with the people. In the gospel according to Mark 1:21-38 we get a detailed description of full day in the life of Jesus.  He begins his day in the Synagogue (ver 21-28) from there goes to the house (ver 29-31), to the city door (ver 32-34) and finally to the desert (ver 35-38).  In the Synagogue he teaches and heals them.   He visits his friend’s house to enjoy their companies and to relax from heavy schedule but he continues to n he teach and heal them. At the city door in the midst of common people Jesus meets probably those who do not visit holy places. He shares with them the Good News.  And finally he makes his time to go to the desert to be with his heavenly Father in prayer. We learn from Jesus that he did not miss any opportunity whether inside the four walls of the Synagogue or outside it to share the Good News.

 

The faith received ultimately should be passed on to others thus fulfilling the Great Commission of our Lord. The more I share my faith the more I will grow in my faith.  Not forgetting that we learn from our Lord to immerse our activities of evangelization in prayer so that our evangelization activities may bear much fruits. Let us pray to the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit to preach Jesus in Season and out of Season.