Day 33
Speaking the Words of Life
Nevertheless this [witness] always remains insufficient, because even the finest witness will prove ineffective in the long run if it is not explained, justified — what Peter called always having “your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have” (1 Peter 3:15) — and made explicit by a clear and unequivocal proclamation of the Lord Jesus. The Good News proclaimed by the witness of life sooner or later has to be proclaimed by the word of life. There is no true evangelization if the name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the kingdom and the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God are not proclaimed.
— St. Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi
If you had discovered the cure for cancer, the truly loving thing to do would be to share that discovery with those who suffer from the disease. Even if the cure were bitter and painful, keeping it to yourself for fear of offending a cancer victim who may resent the bitterness of the pill would be a lack of love, a self-centered and vain pretension.
Jesus Is the Cure
This seems so obvious. And yet, when it comes to spiritual diseases and spiritual cures, the obvious sometimes gets obscured. Jesus Christ truly is the cure for life’s moral and spiritual ills. As we have seen, his teaching, preserved and communicated in every generation by the Church, points the way to healthy and happy living: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). To know him, accept him, and follow him opens the door to the interior freedom and fulfillment we all yearn for: “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32).
He is not only one worthy figure among the world’s great philosophers; he is not only one respectable founder among history’s great founders of religion; he is not only one wise teacher among humanity’s top gurus: He is the incarnate Son of God, the second Person of the Holy Trinity become man; the sole Savior of the world.
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. . . . ” There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved. (John 14:6; Acts 4:12)
People searching for happiness, inner peace, and meaning are searching for Jesus, whether they realize it or not. He is the cure — the only cure — for their spiritual diseases, which can be immensely painful and debilitating even for people who seem to be doing pretty well by all external appearances.
You Have the Cure
Only Jesus can forgive sins and heal the wounds caused by sin. Only Jesus can give the answers to the deepest questions of the human heart. Only his teaching provides sure guidance through the confused, maddening moral labyrinths of the post-modern world. And you know him. You believe in him. You are familiar with those teachings. You have the cure for your neighbor’s spiritual ills — will you keep it to yourself?
We cannot force people to accept Jesus and his teachings, but we are called to tell people about him. If we don’t, some of those people in our circles of influence may never even be given the chance to put their faith in the Lord:
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? (Romans 13:14)
Telling people about Jesus, sharing the gospel with them, explaining the reasons behind the moral and theological tenets of Christianity — this is a fundamental dimension of every Christian’s mission, a central way to “love your neighbor as yourself” and exercise the prophetic facet of our Christian vocation.
Delivering the Message
The first dimension of mission (which we have been reflecting on in the previous reflections) has to do with our way of daily living, the witness of our own moral integrity, love for the Church, and pursuit of excellence. And that is, in many cases, a necessary precursor to effectively speaking the words of life; people will tend to listen to what we say with a more open mind if they have seen us behave admirably beforehand.
But at times God also nudges us to speak about him regardless of the relationship we have with a person. Sometimes, in other words, he wants us to take the initiative and bring up the topic of religion. We need to be ready and willing to do that. More often, perhaps, we need to be ready to respond to questions that are asked of us directly or that come up indirectly in conversations. We need to know how to express and explain what we believe, and we need to cultivate the courage — based on true love for our neighbor — to do so when the need or opportunity arises.
That requires doing our homework. We can never have all the answers to every question or objection, but we can gradually increase our knowledge and understanding of the faith so as to be better and better at explaining it. A good rule of thumb is to try to avoid having to say, “I am not sure how to answer that” more than once. When someone brings up a question you can’t answer, make a commitment to investigate and study until you can answer it, so that the next time it comes up, you will able to shed God’s light on it.
Our Manner Affects Our Message
Of course, the manner in which we speak about Jesus and his teachings is almost as important as the content of what we say. If our manner lacks respect and humility, our words will simply go unheard. Timing matters. Tone matters. Attitude matters. It is not primarily about winning arguments and making converts in order to feed our vanity — it is about loving our neighbors as ourselves, sharing with them the good news we have received from others. We are simply heralds of Christ’s message, ambassadors of his kingdom, and so our egos don’t have to get involved. “Whoever listens to you listens to me,” Jesus pointed out. “Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me” (Luke 10:16).
True love seeks ways to communicate the truth that truly saves; it doesn’t cop out by throwing up its hands and saying, “Whatever you want to do and believe is perfectly fine with me.” That’s not how Jesus fulfilled his redeeming mission of love, and it’s not how we should live our mission, either.
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion
What idea in this reflection struck you most and why?
How well do you know your faith? Could you explain the gospel to someone who asked you to? What are you doing to continue deepening your knowledge and your ability to share that knowledge with others?
How well do you understand the reasons behind the Church’s moral teachings, which are so maligned in today’s world? Which ones are you most comfortable talking about? Which ones are you least comfortable talking about? Why?
Fear often inhibits us from speaking about what we believe and why. We are afraid of being labeled a fanatic; we are afraid of being rejected; we are afraid of being made fun of or persecuted in some way; we are afraid of being humiliated if we can’t hold up our side of an argument. And yet Jesus himself experienced all of those things in response to his saving mission — he was rejected, humiliated, and persecuted even though his knowledge and love were perfect.
What will you do today to overcome your fear of sharing the faith?
- I will publicly display some sign that I am a Christian (a necklace with a cross on it, a rosary bracelet, etc.).
- I will begin researching one of the questions about my faith I don’t feel comfortable answering.
- I will find a good Catholic radio station or podcast to start listening to on a regular basis in order to better equip myself for my mission of speaking about the gospel.
- (Write your own resolution) I will
Concluding Prayer
Mary, Virgin and Mother, you who, moved by the Holy Spirit, welcomed the word of life in the depths of your humble faith: as you gave yourself completely to the Eternal One, help us to say our own “yes” to the urgent call, as pressing as ever, to proclaim the good news of Jesus.
Obtain for us now a new ardor born of the resurrection, that we may bring to all the gospel of life which triumphs over death. Give us a holy courage to seek new paths, that the gift of unfading beauty may reach every man and woman. . . .
Star of the new evangelization, help us to bear radiant witness to communion, service, ardent and generous faith, justice and love of the poor, that the joy of the Gospel may reach to the ends of the earth, illuminating even the fringes of our world.
Mother of the living gospel, wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones, pray for us. Amen. Alleluia!
— Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 288
