Continuing our ongoing discussion of Disciples Called to Witness: The New Evangelization
We’re finishing Part III, “The Focus of the New Evangelization,” with “The Response of the New Evangelization to Today’s World.”
In this final paragraph, the bishops acknowledge the cultural contexts and situations our missing brothers and sisters face. We have to remember what people face in their everyday lives, the challenges that rise against them, the things that keep them away.
The facts the bishops present are serious. They are a big. If I’m not careful, I start to feel overwhelmed by this whole call to the New Evangelization.
I must not be the only one. Read this:
The New Evangelization offers hope. Our hope is not in a program or philosophy but in the person of Jesus Christ, who comforts those who are burdened.
So often, it’s easy to get into a program mentality.
It happens at my parish. Hey, it happens in my home!
We do, do, do. We forget to be. We fail to see who.
We are MORE than a program or a philosophy.
It’s bigger than an idea.
And the response is as easy–and as hard–as a simple touch.
Open the Gospels, any of them. Find a story of Jesus. See how quickly you lose count of his touches.
Jesus calls us to touch. Sometimes, that’s a physical touch. (Maybe more often than people like me are comfortable admitting.) Other times, it’s the emotional touch.
How will you touch those around you? How will your touch be a witness today?
Previous posts in this series:
- Commanded to Be Witnesses
- Called to Him
- Are we welcoming?
- It’s Personal
- Show Them Jesus
- The Very Core of Our Mission
- Proclaiming Anew
- It’s Not New, But We Need It
- It’s about Hope
Copyright © 2012, Sarah Reinhard
Sarah Reinhard
Sarah Reinhard continues to be shocked and delighted that her life as a grown-up involve horses, writing, and sparkly dress shoes. In her work in the New Evangelization as a Catholic wife, mom, writer, parish employee, and catechist, she’s learned a lot of lessons, had a lot of laughs, and consumed mass amounts of coffee. She’s online at SnoringScholar.com and CatholicMom.com, and is the author of a number of books.
2 responses to “Responding with a Touch”
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It is also about being fully present to the person/people you are with in that moment. That is another way to touch people, since we are all often multitasking.
Great point, Deanna, and something I have to remind myself of, oh, ALL THE TIME! 🙂