No one is exempt from call to be missionary disciple

In his Apostolic Exhortation The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis reminds us that we are not just disciples of Jesus Christ, but we are “missionary” –disciples.  

To understand and claim ourselves to simply be disciples can mistakenly imply that our journey of faith involves only adhering to a few spiritual principles, such as attending formation classes in our parishes, etc.  In all this we can develop a sense that we are good and faithful disciples, but is that what we need today?

The Church today needs disciples who have an understanding and enthusiasm for being missionaries. When many of us were young the thought may have crossed our minds that we may want to be a missionary.  Our youthful zeal and desire to give everything could have led us to that conclusion.  Today, in the spirit of the New Evangelization, we are now more than ever called to witness and proclaim the Good News of the Lord to others (Mt 4:18). We are called to assist in opening the doors of grace to people who for one reason or another are alienated from the Church and from God. 

The Holy Father and indeed the entire Church is calling all of us to re-enkindle a missionary enthusiasm in the Church for the sake of calling others and ourselves to a new faith in the Gospel. 

The Church has been engaged in the work of evangelization throughout the millennia. So what is new about Evangelization today? The newness is the summons for us to first live and experience the Gospel message and to share not by repeating the words of the Gospel, but the fruit of encountering the Risen Christ in those words and the effect He has had in our lives.  Many people today have fallen into the clutches of secular deities and thus estrange themselves from God and his Church.  

The New Evangelization is our effort to proclaim Jesus Christ, from whom everything flows, in a new way with a joyful enthusiasm. Jesus is the one sent to bring us salvation by reconciling us to the Father.  His life, death and resurrection manifest God’s love and mercy available to all of us, including those on the periphery of the Church, those who do not know him.  

As missionary disciples, the greatest message we have to share and give is that “God loves you.” God loves you immensely. God is merciful toward our weaknesses and can forgive our sins. Many people do not know what mercy means; perhaps because they have not experienced mercy from others, or do not know how to ask for mercy.  This is the work of evangelization; this is the message for every missionary-disciple to share with others.  

But Pope Francis exhorts us to share this reality of love and mercy with enthusiasm and joy beginning in our own homes, among our family members, in our neighborhoods, in our cities and towns, throughout the diocese, everywhere. Imagine how beautiful our diocese would be, the Church at large would be if there was this burst of enthusiasm and joy. 

I am not referring to an unrealistic enthusiasm or pious joy, but an enthusiasm and joy that lead us to mission, to be missionaries. 

Through the missionary encounters with other people, the Holy Father reminds us that we become healthy. When we go beyond ourselves (deny ourselves) we leave behind a life of isolation, which is the main detriment to health and happiness.  As Christ’s missionary disciples, we discover what it means to be healthy, enthusiastic and joyful because we carry within ourselves the Word of God in a way similar to Mary, Mother of the Word.

Today we need to examine everything we say and do in terms of witnessing and proclaiming Christ in a new and fresh way. Pope Francis has repeatedly said throughout his first year as our pope that we are all involved in the mission of evangelizing. We are all responsible to bring Christ to others. 

No one is exempted from this call.