Evangelization

Religious by the very nature of their calling are a sign of Gods existence. This way of life is a gift given to some with the aim of evangelizing. Religious are a sign and symbol of availability to all. Religious are a challenge to the world by the witness value of poverty, purity and sincerity that they carry. This type of witnessing to the faith touches the hearts of those who do not believe in Christ or in other words are non- Christians.

            While there are religious on one hand, there are also lay people on the other hand who are amidst other people in the world. They too carry a very specific form of evangelization. Their range of evangelization is much larger than that of the religious. They evangelize in the vast world of politics, society and economics, culture, sciences and arts, international life and mass media. They are also involved in the field of human love, family, education of children and adolescents, professional works and so on.

            Coming to the context of the family, it can be said that the family is the place where the gospel is transmitted and from which the gospel radiates itself. When one family has been evangelized by members within or from outside the family, other families too get evangelized due to this family. Also young people who are trained in the faith and prayer have a duty towards the other youth. Their contribution means a lot to the Church.

            The laity are called to work in collaboration with their pastors in the great task of evangelization. This collaboration must have an effect on those who are close to the Church and also on those who are not. For such an effect to take place, proper training of the laity and the clergy personnel has to take place. All who are in the field of evangelization need an adequate amount of training so as to facilitate greater enrichment in the faith and also greater evangelization.

            What is of great importance is the inner attitude that an evangelizer needs to have while evangelizing. A right and docile attitude to the workings of the Holy Spirit will be of great benefit both to the evangelizer and to the one being evangelized. The Holy Spirit plays a dynamic and a great role in the process of evangelization to whom the evangelizer must be ever grateful.