Word: Christ’s sovereignty is honored in the way we live and share the gospel.

Order: “… give thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in the light.” (Col 1:12)

Reflection:

The word for November is not as easy as it sounds because the danger is that we may turn living and sharing the gospel into a simple formula, on the assumption that by doing so, we are honoring Christ. In fact we need to first define what ‘living’ and ‘sharing’ the gospel really mean before we can even begin to bring the gospel of Christ to others.

Living and sharing the gospel could only mean one thing –  we are to clothe ourselves with Christ and His gospel, and share it not only with those who have not heard it, but more so with those the church refers to as baptized Christians who have not been living their Catholic faith. In simple terms, what the word for the month is saying, is that we are to go out and evangelize especially at this time of the new evangelization, when changing societies and cultures call us to do something new: to live our communitarian experience of faith in a renewed way, as Blessed John Paul once said: “to proclaim it through an evangelization that is new in its ardor, in its methods, and in its expressions.”

But proclaiming the gospel is not a formula, like choosing and memorizing several verses and sharing it with others when an opportunity presents itself. Many have gone out to sow, but have become discouraged when the results fall below their expectations.

It is because faith and belief cannot be quantified or equated with a mathematical formula like measuring the seeds you plant and expecting a corresponding yield. What does this mean? In Mt 13:8, Christ tells us – “Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop, a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” The four types of soil in this parable represent the four types of responses people have to God’s Word.  Some people are like ‘good soil’ –  responsive and fruitful; others are like shallow ground – initially enthusiastic and accepting but quickly lose interest and commitment; while still others are choked off by distracting concerns.

What we must not forget is that though we are the ones who plant, it is the Holy Spirit who will use our words to lead others to Christ.  This is actually what evangelization is all about.  It’s not about us, but about the Holy Spirit moving in our lives to help us, not only in our journey of faith but also in our work in the Lord’s vineyard.  The presence of the Holy Spirit is what makes the encounter with Jesus possible.  This encounter should lead us not only to a spiritual experience but also to a genuine conversion as we are freed and delivered from our bondage to sin, and find ourselves placing our entire beings in the hands of God.

This beautiful co-mingling of the divine nature of God and the human character of man at the time of the encounter is what turns man into a partaker of the divine attributes of God, such that through the gifts of the Holy Spirit we are given the power to escape from the corruption of the world caused by evil desires (2 Pt 1:4).  This, in essence, is what the new evangelization is about.  The new evangelization should lead to an encounter with the person of Christ for those who have not heard of Him, and to a “re-encounter” for those who have moved away from the faith, especially the baptized Catholics who are no longer practicing their faith.  It is through this encounter or re-encounter with Christ that the Holy Spirit moves and takes possession of our being to empower us to live and share the gospel to the ends of the earth. Hence, evangelism is for all Christians. As disciples, we are called to go and also make disciples of others – whether that ‘other’ lives next door or in another country.

This is what happened to Zacchaeus whose encounter with Jesus leads to his conversion (Lk 19:1-10).  The Sadducees also had the same experience when they encountered Jesus who explained to them the principle of life in the future world (Lk 20:27-38).  To live and share the gospel is to be steadfast in faith that we may be able to withstand whatever troubles come our way (Lk 21:5-19).  An encounter with Christ on the cross opens our eyes to the realization that we have been purchased, and our lives are not our own.  This is the encounter that can merit us a place in paradise (Lk 23:35-43).

Thus, to live and share the gospel is not an option but a command to all who call Jesus Lord. We may not all be evangelists in the true sense of the word, but because we have received the manifold gifts of the Holy Spirit, we too, have to go out and help fulfill the Great Commission (Mt 28:18-20).  And as we obey, we are assured of the abiding presence of Christ in our midst and in our circumstances.  It is in obeying this commandment to evangelize that we honor the sovereignty of Christ in the way we live and share the gospel.

Reflection Guide:

Reflect on your own encounter with Jesus and bring to mind the things you surrendered to him.  Are you still living out your 5-point pledge (for Committed Disciples) and your 8-point Covenant Pledge (for Covenanted Disciples)? If not, what prevents you from fulfilling these pledges?

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