THE NEW EVANGELIZATION

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR (B) 15 July 2012 

Mark 6, 7-13 

 Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.”

 They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.(NIV)

THE NEW EVANGELIZATION 

José Antonio Pagola 

Rev. Fr. Valentine de Souza S.J.

 The Church today feels the need of a new evangelization. In what would it consist? How would it be new? What do we need to change? What was Jesus’ intention in sending his disciples to continue his evangelizing task?

 The account of Mark makes it clear that Jesus alone is the source, the inspirer and the model of the evangelizing activity of his followers. They will act on his authority. They will do nothing in their own name. They are “sent” by Jesus. They will not preach their own message: they will only proclaim his Gospel. They will not engage in other pursuits: they will devote themselves to opening paths to the kingdom of God.

 The only way to promote a “new evangelization” is to purify and intensify this relationship with Jesus. There will be no new evangelization if there are no new evangelizers and there will be no new evangelizers if there isn’t a more lively, clear and passionate contact with Jesus. Without him we will do everything except bring his Spirit into the world.

 On sending them, Jesus does not leave his disciples to their own resources. He gives them his “authority”, which is not a power to control, rule or dominate others, but his power to drive out unclean spirits, freeing people from what enslaves, oppresses and dehumanizes them and society.

 The disciples know very well what it is Jesus charges them with. They have never seen him ruling anybody. They have always known him to heal wounds, alleviate suffering, regenerate lives, free from fears, transmit trust in God. To “heal” and to “free” are priority tasks in the activity of Jesus. It will give a radically different image to our evangelization.

Jesus sends them with all that’s needed for the journey. According to Mark, they will carry “a staff, sandals and a tunic”. They will not need anything more to be witnesses of what’s essential. Jesus wants to see them free and without attachments: always available, not tied down with prosperity; relying on the strength of the Gospel.

There will be no new evangelization without recovering this model of evangelization. The important thing is not to undertake new activities and programs, but to free ourselves of customs, structures and obligations that prevent us being free to transmit the essence of the Gospel with truth and simplicity.

The Church has lost the itinerant style suggested by Jesus. It moves slowly and heavily. It does not succeed in keeping pace with humanity. We do not have the ability to move easily between cultures. We hold on to the power we’ve had. We are entangled in affairs incompatible with the kingdom of God. We need conversion.

Promote an evangelization faithful to Jesus 

Jose Antonio Pagola, vgentza@euskalnet.net , San Sebastian, Guipuzcoa, Spain. 

English Translation by Valentine de Souza S.J. Mandal, Gujarat , India.394650