Pope's Call to a New Evangelization
On June 9, 1979, during his first apostolic visit to Poland, Pope John Paul II vehemently lifted the Cross and, deeply moved, proclaimed, “A New Evangelization has begun!”
As the Vicar of Christ, he vigorously demonstrated through many years of worldwide travels a total commitment to the new evangelization, to a renewed dedication to Our Lord’s Great Commission: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” (Mt 28:19)
Despite advancing age and failing health, the Holy Father still traveled throughout the world as our model evangelist, calling us all to join him in this New Evangelization. Pope Benedict XVI had said at Pope John Paul II’s funeral Mass that Pope John Paul “is standing today at the window of the Father’s house, that he sees us and blesses us.” From there Pope John Paul even more urgently calls us to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world.
The messages at Conyers were also a call for everyone to bear witness, to respond with love, vigor and unceasing dedication to this Great Commission from Our Lord to evangelize!
Evangelizing can be intimidating. In their 1993 “National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization in the United States”, the Catholic Bishops of the United States explained the “what”, “why” and “how” of evangelization. They said that everyone is gifted by the Holy Spirit to evangelize.
The Bishops explained the “What” in terms of both the inward and outward dimensions of evangelization. Inwardly, everyone is called to an ongoing conversion, renewal and growth through the power of the Holy Spirit. Unless Christians undergo a conversion of heart, they have not truly accepted the Gospel. To effectively evangelize, a person can only share what they have received and can only hold to their faith if it continues to grow.
Outwardly, evangelization is bringing the Good News of Jesus into every human situation, seeking to convert individuals and society by the divine power of the Gospel. Evangelization happens when the word of Jesus speaks to people’s hearts and minds.
The reason “Why” we evangelize is because Jesus commanded us to do so. We evangelize because people must be brought to the salvation Jesus offers in and through the Church.
The “How” of evangelization happens through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We evangelize by the way we live God’s love through the ordinary patterns of our daily life at home, at work, in the community, with friends and especially in the care we give to those who are most in need. We do not need to be a preacher or a missionary to a foreign land to evangelize!
The Blessed Mother is the model evangelist. She continues to evangelize through Her many apparitions throughout the world. The purpose of Her coming to Conyers was to evangelize – to bring people to Her Son, Jesus.