The Faith of Our Fathers - New Evangelizers

On the first Sunday of Lent, my priest surprised me when he brought up the New Evangelization during his weekend homily.

Part of what caught me by surprise was his reference to it in the first place. I know he’s heard me blather on and on and on about it, but I’ve never heard him use that phrase. Ever. (And keep in mind that I work with him and talk to him many times each week.)

The other part of what surprised me was how he took my understanding of what the New Evangelization is and gave it a boost.

I’ve been thinking about it ever since, about how having a generational approach to faith is so integral to who we are as the Body of Christ.

It made me consider that, here in the midst of Lent, there’s a lot I can do within my own home. It made me think about the small ways I can show love, about the many instances I have to be Jesus, about the true audience I’m serving.

Funny thing: they’re not really on the other side of this computer monitor (at least, not yet). Right now, the people most impacted by how I live my faith eat most of their meals with me and are watching everything I do.

Will it be their faith someday? Am I equipping them to embrace it the way I have?

Evangelical, according to Father’s homily, means a “personal embracing of the Good News, the evangelium, of Jesus Christ.” He then tied in the first reading to our own “calling forth” as Catholics.

Who am I following through this desert of Lent? What am I seeking? Have I implanted it in my heart?

And, most importantly, have I made the Good News of Jesus Christ my story, our story?

Copyright © 2013, 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.