So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. – Genesis 1:27
Being a disciple of Jesus naturally includes sharing the Gospel with others and inviting them into a deeper relationship with God. As Catholic Christians, our identity and our mission are to be missionary disciples in our daily lives.
Pope St. John Paul II reminds us, “Christ teaches us how to evangelize, how to invite people into communion with Him and how to create a culture of witness: namely, through love. A Christian life lived with charity and faith is the most effective form of evangelization.” ( Homily of the Holy Father John Paul II, 2002, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City)
The first step toward living this life is allowing Jesus to meet and transform us daily. If we respond to His grace, our lives will show we have something beyond what the world offers: We follow a Person whose love changes our lives, so we want others to also experience His transforming love.
When we live in union with God, open to his prompting, we’re more able to see the opportunities for witness and His guidance in responding to these opportunities. We might fear doing or saying the wrong thing, but we need not be afraid. Jesus promised His disciples, “I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
As a society and as individuals, we often measure ourselves by false standards: by what and how much we do, our successes or failures, how others treat us, the degree of our pleasure or independence, etc. And when these changeable substitutes prove to be insufficient, or when we are faced with challenges and suffering, we might feel helpless, alone or abandoned. We might be tempted to feel as though our lives have decreased in value or worth.
But God’s love – individual, real, unchanging – is the true source of our worth, identity and dignity. It really is not a question of who we are, but whose we are. Because His love will never change, nothing can reduce our God-given dignity, and nothing can diminish the immeasurable worth of our lives.
We build a culture of life, a culture that joyfully proclaims the truth of God’s love, purpose and plan for each person. Changing the culture is a process of conversion that begins in our own hearts and includes a willingness to be instructed and a desire to be close to Jesus – the source of joy and love.
When we encounter Christ, experience His love and deepen our relationship with Him, we become more aware of our own worth and that of others. His love for each person is cause for great joy. Growing our understanding of this priceless treasure should motivate us to share His love with others. Our lives are often changed by the witness of others; so, too, others’ lives might be changed by our witness and authentic friendship with them.
Although we are asked to take up our cross to follow Jesus, I don’t think He meant my personal cross. I am closer to Jesus when I help others shoulder their crosses. If you look around, you will find someone in need. It might be a family member, a friend or a community. God’s love can help us be a Simon of Cyrene to another.
Growing up, dinner time in our home included conversations about our day and where we might see a need. We never heard our parents say, “Someone should do something about that.” Instead, we heard, “What are we going to do about that?” And, “Do we need anyone else to help?” I thank our parents every day for instilling that attitude in us.
Let us go bear each other’s burdens and not be afraid. God is always with us.