Go and Make Disciples

June 7, 2009
Setting Our Church on Fire!

Go and Make Disciples
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,… Mt 28:19

Today’s Gospel reading is an important one. Here is a summary statement about one of our first duties as Catholics: evangelization. About 20 years ago the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops put together a document on evangelization called Go and Make Disciples* based on this scripture passage.

The first goal presented in the document is:

To bring about in all Catholics such an enthusiasm for their faith that, in living their faith in Jesus, they freely share it with others… (G&MD #89)

Last weekend I attended a different Mass than the one I usually go to and sat in a different place (praying I was not “taking” somebody’s pew!). I decided to purposely to sit with people I did not know. I looked around me at the different faces, and wondered what brought them here, today, to this Mass. And I also wondered where their faith journey was bringing them. As I looked into their faces I tried to look for the enthusiasm for the faith. I thought today IS Pentecost… a day of celebration… it is the Church’s “birthday”… we should be singing and dancing with joy! I didn’t see too much enthusiasm in the pews. If we are not enthusiastic at Mass then how can we expect to inspire and evangelize others?

Now that summer is approaching and busy schedules are easing up let us take some time and think about how we can find within ourselves the spirit and fire of Pentecost. Let us rekindle our inner flame and let us share that enthusiasm with the people we meet. Let us show our joy in Jesus. Let us start evangelizing and telling the world the Good News of Christ. – God Bless, Holly Clark

*Read the document online at:
www.usccb.org/evangelization/goandmake/