The New Evangelization: A modern take on eternal truths

In instructing the church on the New Evangelization, the Synod of Bishops said: “New methods and new forms of expression are needed to convey to the people of today the perennial truth of Jesus Christ.” (Image: 123RF)

BY ITS VERY NATURE the Catholic Church is missionary. Jesus called his apostles to be with him and to be sent out to spread the Good News, that is, to evangelize. Evangelization is simply sharing the gospel. The gospel, of course, centers around Jesus Christ and a saving relationship with him that leads to eternal life. The Magna Carta of evangelization is Pope Paul VI’s Evangelii Nuntiandi (Evangelization in the Modern World). In it, Pope Paul explains: “The person who has been evangelized goes on to evangelize others. Here lies the test of truth, the touchstone of evangelization: It is unthinkable that a person should accept the Word and give himself to the Kingdom without becoming a person who bears witness to it and proclaims it in his turn.”

By our life and words we evangelize the faithful. We also share the gospel with those who have fallen away from the faith as well as with those who have not yet come to faith in Jesus. We believers are the light of the world and the salt of the Earth, and God will work through our vocational commitment and sacrifices to bring new life to others.

Through the New Evangelization, it is our hope, says Pope Benedict XVI, that “the world, which seeks answers to the great questions of the meaning of life and truth, experience, with renewed unexpectedness, the joy of meeting witnesses of the gospel who, through the simple and credible character of their lives, demonstrate the transforming power of the Christian faith.”

The New Evangelization is new because of its methods, expression and ardor.

Methods: Outreach through new media

In instructing the church on the New Evangelization in 2012, the Synod of Bishops said: “New methods and new forms of expression are needed to convey to the people of today the perennial truth of Jesus Christ, forever new and the source of all newness.” Back in 2006, when I got involved in TV and radio ministry, I knew the way to reach out to the nones (those who claim no religious affiliation), youth, and fallen aways was not to hand out pamphlets, but to enter their lives through media. My primary duty as a priest is the proclamation of the gospel of God to all. Indeed, “to teach in order to lead others to faith is the task of every preacher and of each believer,” says the great Doctor of the Church Saint Thomas Aquinas. That is why the motto of my ministry is “Touching lives/Saving souls.” My hope is to bring people to Jesus. Having a personal relationship with Jesus and telling others about our faith is the call of every baptized Christian. True evangelization happens when people see our loving deeds and know that we do them in the name of Jesus.

Expression: Live the joy

“Evangelization in our time must be a dialogue of mercy, not a monologue of judgment,” says Pope Leo XIV. The New Evangelization is primarily directed at people who have fallen away from the church, “so that they can rediscover the beauty of their Christian faith and the joy of a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus in the Church and the community of the faithful” (2012 Synod of Bishops working document on the New Evangelization).

People everywhere are hungering for something more, something deeper. As Saint Augustine so eloquently put it: “You have formed us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in you, Lord.” Hunger, thirst, and loneliness are telltale signs of God’s activity in our soul. The poet Francis Thompson called God the “Hound of Heaven.” God is always searching for us and trying to woo us. God works in our minds, hearts, and wills and through our emotions and feelings.

The core of the gospel is “being with Jesus, abiding in Jesus.” Jesus is always inviting people to come to him, to get to know him. When we read scripture, we hear the gracious invitation: “Come to me all you who are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11: 28-30). What is unique about Jesus’ ministry (and the cause of scandal) was his reaching out to those on the margins and the peripheries of society. Those who were outcasts and those who were sick in mind and body. When challenged about his ministry Jesus replied, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners” (Matthew 9:12).

The mercy of Jesus is what gives us hope. It is the joy of the gospel. We “are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness,” says Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel). We come to know Jesus personally by spending time with him in prayer, scripture reading, and celebration of the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, which is the “source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC, 1324). But we also grow closer to Jesus by knowing why he came and what he has done for us. Bishop Fulton Sheen wrote in The Life of Christ that Jesus was the only person “born to die.” By Jesus’ suffering and death our sins are forgiven and we have been ransomed from death to eternal life. Our Christian faith and our vocation flow from knowing Jesus and his saving acts on our behalf.

Ardor: Find your passion

When it comes to proclaiming Jesus we should show gravity, energy, and enthusiasm. After all, we are talking about eternal life in heaven with God! I am a Passionist priest. The word passion means “suffering” but also “enthusiasm.” The name I have given my TV and radio programs is “Live with Passion!” I conclude every broadcast with: “Don’t just live, live with passion!” We should be excited about our faith! The Holy Spirit comes to vivify and energize our lives with enthusiasm. “An evangelizer must never look like someone who has just come back from a funeral!” Pope Francis reminds us.

The foundation of my ministry is this saying: “Who you are is God’s gift to you. Who you become is your gift to God!” “Everyone is born original, but most end up dying as photocopies,” said Saint Carlo Acutis, a recognized “God influencer” of our age. The challenge for all of us is to become who we are meant to be, to make the most of our lives, and realize our God-given potential. We are each called to change the world by bringing the Good News of God’s love to all. That is the New Evangelization.

Related: VocationNetwork.org, “Go viral with the gospel!” and “All because of God.”