Not One Thing - New Evangelizers

Most of us who are trying our best to follow a spiritual path know the routine. We have heard the “New Evangelization” thing ad nauseum. As Catholics we have even tried, in our halting way, to honor the mission that our last three Popes have been telling us is our job! None of us are really sure about what evangelization is and less of us know how to do it. Yet, still, we are willing to try, just a little. We pump up our courage and decide to put forth a tiny, trembling effort. We ask that fallen away neighbor to join us for Mass next week. She has been talking about “Jesus and me” and how her church is that beautiful spot in the forest preserves where she saw a doe and her twins.
Not to your surprise, but to your disappointment her answer was NO! The invitation was then followed by her explanation about how her personal relationship with God is very intimate, very strong and on a level that didn’t need a fancy building or other people distracting her. I’ve heard that one myself in more situations than one and it always leaves me confused as to whether to challenge that or just leave it alone. I guess that depends on the situation, the person and the nature of the relationship that you have with the one who was the object of the invitation. Case by case as they say. Whatever the situation may be, however, you need to make sure that the information you have about how Jesus’ Church works is correct.
As believers we put high value in the writings of the Bible and what it shows about how God wants us to be human. In other words, the most fully human person who ever existed was Jesus. In all cases and situations the behavior, actions and attitudes he himself modeled in his time on earth were the ultimate example of how to be human. He was, in the flesh, living out God’s plan for the human race. We look to him as a model of everything. We know that he purposely gathered people around him, taught them and then sent them out to teach others the same things. He modeled community, fraternity and that God’s plan was something which we lived out while in relationship with each other, not as a lone ranger.
There is not one thing in all of creation that any of us can do, as a loner, that would serve or please God. We can’t create knowledge, forgiveness, understanding, kindness, service, virtue or life by ourselves. None of these are solo acts. All  must be done in the presence of,  or with the help of others. All of the things that any human can do to please God must be exercised with the aim of benefitting others.

“But I want you to understand that we can neither love God nor be virtuous without the mediation of our neighbors, because it is in our neighbors that we find love and virtue. How so? I’ll tell you. I can’t show my Creator my love for him directly, because I can be of no service to God. So I have to use God’s creatures as intermediaries, and do for them the service I cannot do for God. … The virtues of charity and humility are discovered and acquired only in loving our neighbors for God’s sake because those who are humble and peaceable banish anger and hatred for their enemies from their heart”. (St. Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church † 1380)

Without community interaction it is impossible to grow spiritually. There is no faith to be tangibly demonstrated  in “Jesus and me”. That’s a comfortable illusion that some people cling to. Jesus never taught that and God doesn’t want that. So if you run into someone who is on a solo spiritual journey be patient. Do not tire of giving them an invitation to be present with community. Sooner or later, their spirit will gladly take the invitation. It’s how God made us and everyone has a still small voice begging them to say yes to that longing.
Copyright© 2015, Kathryn M. Cunningham

Kathryn M. Cunningham

Kathryn holds a Master’s in Education from Saint Xavier University. Most recently she completed Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies from The Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. This recent degree was part of a “retirement project” after teaching for 35 years. She has also worked as a spiritual director, music minister,council member and prayer team warrior. Kathryn has a deep interest in catechesis for the people in the pews. As a “sort of” convert she finds the wisdom of the Church a source for encouragement, joy and survival in a world not sure of anything. Her writing has appeared in diocesan publications and on-line sites, most recently for Zenit. To learn more about Kathryn check out her thinking at: www.atravelersview.org">ATravelersView.org.