Christian evangelization is destroyed when we embrace the illusion that a non-Christian culture (where Christianity’s originating events are of no concern) should be confronted and overcome by a Christian culture. This is a deadly “fundamental error” that can tempt us, but which must be firmly rejected…
We must place our hope not on cultural proposals but on the event of Christ, on something that has already happened. Evangelization is to give witness to the fact – to the verifiable fact – that this event can and does still happen today because it has happened to us as something unforeseen, something amazing that surprises us, something that is not the result of our efforts of our particular ethical and spiritual pre-dispositions. It is this that gives rise to concern, because an event is something that touches the heart, that changes us, that gives us a new vision of life’s possibilities.
A Reminder for When I Get Too Gung-Ho
Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete
This excerpt, found in Friday’s reflection on the Mass readings in my Magnificat, reminded me that the reason I was drawn to the Catholic Church was not because of anyone TELLING me about it, but because of those dear people SHOWING me.