The Newer Evangelization?

And I thought that our call to evangelize was timeless ...

To evangelize is to preach the gospel -- to give a reason for our hope in Christ.  Saint Peter tells us that, with gentleness and respect, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for your hope." (1 Pet 3:15)  His use of the word "always" is of no little significance -- literally, in every age and in every circumstance.  When we encounter the Spirit of Christ, we are always driven to preach the gospel.

As Bl. Pope John XXIII convened the second Vatican Council, he spoke of the need to "open windows" of the Church and "let in fresh air".  Regardless of the fact that some of our church facilities smell a little like grannie's attic, I'm pretty sure he was speaking about the Holy Spirit -- to let Him in, let Him move about freely and fill the Church as He did that first Pentecost. 

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Signaling a Retreat

In today's world, we all need structure, order, and balance to survive and thrive.  Unfortunately, between housekeeping and yard work, running the kids to school activities and athletic events, the job, social and family commitments, exercise -- even vacations -- we leave precious little time for our spiritual growth.

The problem is probably not so much the quantity of the things we have to do in a given week, but the priority we give each of them.  Inconsequential things in life can take up way too much of our time and energy.  Sometimes we just need to step back and regain our perspective -- remember or find what is really important.

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Beginnings

One of the awesome things about Sacred Scripture is the way it creeps up on you.  You can read a passage or hear it read a hundred times and each time something new springs out.  Or like an onion, another layer gets peeled back. Sometimes a message or meaning is so obvious, so in-your-face, that you wonder how you could have missed it.  One day, I had one of those moments while I was reading Matthew's account of Judgement Day, as illustrated by the Separation of the Sheep and Goats, and became finally, understandably disturbed by its implications.

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