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Evangelii Nuntiandi, Chapter VII
The Spirit of Evangelization, nos. 76-79
Basic Attitudes, Holy Spirit
No. 76 is an appeal to all the heralds of the Gospel to holiness of life. It is an appeal to all believers in Christ, bishops, priests, deacons, religious and lay people, because all believers are called to be heralds of the Gospel, each one according to his state in life.
The young today, it is said, want authenticity. Do we live what we preach? Is the Church in union with God in prayer and sacrament? Is she in union with mankind in evangelization and works of mercy? Do we Catholics work for Christian unity out of love for our Christian brothers and sisters and because it is Jesus’ will that we be in complete unity (Jn 17:21-23)?
The heralds of the Gospel must know that their preaching will win hearts only if they are living what they are preaching. The witness of holiness of life will make their words effective.
No. 77 is about our disunity as Christians. How many different interpretations of the Bible! This disunity lessens the effectiveness of evangelization. People become confused or angry when they hear the conflicting teachings of heralds of the Gospel. Our unity would not only benefit us, but would open up the way to evangelize the whole world. Before we can hope to convert mankind to Christ, we must find unity among all the followers of Christ. We therefore should cooperate whenever possible with other Christians in spreading the Good New of the Gospel..
No. 78 begins with the sentence: “The Gospel entrusted to us is also the word of truth.” The preacher of the Gospel must love the truth of the Gospel and the truth about all things. Those who come to listen to the word want to hear the truth about God and the truth about man. The preacher must give them that truth, but he must be in search of all truth, even that which is not of the Gospel. He must never withhold the truth or water it down out of fear or to make a good impression. He must study the truth, search for it, especially for revealed truth that is more important than natural truth. At the end of the number Pope St. Paul VI thanked those who study revealed truth. The Church has need of those who do that kind of research.
No. 79 enumerates a great number of the things that love will generate for those being evangelized . Evangelization requires that the preacher love those he is evangelizing. It should be a love like a father or mother has for his or her own children. This love will manifest itself in various ways. One sign of love is to preach Jesus Christ in all His fullness. Another sign of love is to work for the unity of those who are evangelized. Not to be harsh in judgment of the hearers’ religious and spiritual situation is also a sign of love. Another sign is to guard against scandal to the weak by not using language understandable, perhaps, to the educated but disturbing to the common people. A last sign of love is to bring only solid doctrine based on the word of God, not teachings coming from poorly digested learning.
Mary, queen of apostles, make us all true disciples of Jesus.
The Spirit of Evangelization, nos. 76-79
Basic Attitudes, Holy Spirit
No. 76 is an appeal to all the heralds of the Gospel to holiness of life. It is an appeal to all believers in Christ, bishops, priests, deacons, religious and lay people, because all believers are called to be heralds of the Gospel, each one according to his state in life.
The young today, it is said, want authenticity. Do we live what we preach? Is the Church in union with God in prayer and sacrament? Is she in union with mankind in evangelization and works of mercy? Do we Catholics work for Christian unity out of love for our Christian brothers and sisters and because it is Jesus’ will that we be in complete unity (Jn 17:21-23)?
The heralds of the Gospel must know that their preaching will win hearts only if they are living what they are preaching. The witness of holiness of life will make their words effective.
No. 77 is about our disunity as Christians. How many different interpretations of the Bible! This disunity lessens the effectiveness of evangelization. People become confused or angry when they hear the conflicting teachings of heralds of the Gospel. Our unity would not only benefit us, but would open up the way to evangelize the whole world. Before we can hope to convert mankind to Christ, we must find unity among all the followers of Christ. We therefore should cooperate whenever possible with other Christians in spreading the Good New of the Gospel..
No. 78 begins with the sentence: “The Gospel entrusted to us is also the word of truth.” The preacher of the Gospel must love the truth of the Gospel and the truth about all things. Those who come to listen to the word want to hear the truth about God and the truth about man. The preacher must give them that truth, but he must be in search of all truth, even that which is not of the Gospel. He must never withhold the truth or water it down out of fear or to make a good impression. He must study the truth, search for it, especially for revealed truth that is more important than natural truth. At the end of the number Pope St. Paul VI thanked those who study revealed truth. The Church has need of those who do that kind of research.
No. 79 enumerates a great number of the things that love will generate for those being evangelized . Evangelization requires that the preacher love those he is evangelizing. It should be a love like a father or mother has for his or her own children. This love will manifest itself in various ways. One sign of love is to preach Jesus Christ in all His fullness. Another sign of love is to work for the unity of those who are evangelized. Not to be harsh in judgment of the hearers’ religious and spiritual situation is also a sign of love. Another sign is to guard against scandal to the weak by not using language understandable, perhaps, to the educated but disturbing to the common people. A last sign of love is to bring only solid doctrine based on the word of God, not teachings coming from poorly digested learning.
Mary, queen of apostles, make us all true disciples of Jesus.