Called to Evangelize

Amos 7:12-15;Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:7-13

Last month Arch Bishop Wuerl celebrated Mass here at Ascension on Father’s Day. I had the privilege to serve as Deacon at that Mass.

As we lined up in the back of Church, there were the altar servers, the concelebrating priests, myself and then the archbishop – and just before we started the entrance procession – the archbishop’s assistant came over and in a low voice said to the archbishop – “what a beautiful Church” – and the archbishop agreed.

And this is – a very beautiful Church – we come here, you and I – the body of Christ – to spend time with God; to be nourished on His Word in scripture – and His Word made flesh – Jesus Christ – truly present, body blood soul and divinity – in the Eucharist – and to be able to do all of that here in this beautiful Church is a real blessing.

We need to be nourished here because we live in culture that questions our Faith and our morals, we need to be nourished here because evil exists and bad things happen to good people; we need to be nourished here because temptation exists – so we come here to be reminded, we come here to be taught, we come here to be strengthen in our faith so that we can stay the course, so that we can persevere, so that we can fight the good fight, run the good race, so that we can enter though the narrow gate.

We need to be nourished here so that we can boldly and bravely take Christ out into the world – just like the disciples in our Gospel today. If we aren’t out there calling people to repentance, if we aren’t out there feeding the hungry or clothing the naked or welcoming the stranger; if we aren’t out there visiting the sick or the imprisoned – then this remains just a beautiful Church.

Jesus didn’t send His disciples out alone – He sent them out two by two so they could support each other on their mission – and their mission was focused – they called people to repentance. You see, I believe that if we all fulfilled our apostolic calling; if we all repented – then there wouldn’t be any hungry to feed, there wouldn’t be and naked to clothe or any need to visit the sick and imprisoned – because the world would be a better place – God’s kingdom – God’s will would be done here on earth like it is in heaven – Amen.