Understanding Evangelization: Beyond Rules to Relationship
Readings and Virtual Homily for May 11, 2025, 4th Sunday of Easter; Deep Dish Pizza and the Vatican
Readings for Mass this Sunday:
Acts of the Apostles 13:14, 43-52
Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5
Revelation 7:9, 14-17
John 10:27-30
Dear Friends and Family,
The conversion of the Gentiles is an easy theme to arrive at, with regard to this weekend's readings. I have written on this theme several times over the years, in these virtual homilies, so -- staying with that theme as my general focus -- I will try to take it in a slightly different direction, this time. I will take it in the direction of a consideration of what the Church itself regards as its primary purpose: the work of evangelization.
I mentioned a couple homilies back how impressed I was with Pope Francis' approach to evangelization. Viewing the Church as a "field hospital," where everyone needs help, Francis' concern was making sure people understood that they are here on earth by the hand of a loving Creator; a Creator who not only wants what is best for them here and now, but wants them safe, joyful and at peace forever, in their heavenly home. This Creator so loves the world that "he sent his only son" to suffer and die for it (John 3:16). This passage might also be read as God so loved the world that God himself entered into it as a human being, suffering and dying for it, since after all, Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinity.
Suffering and dying so that we might have life, Jesus -- that is God -- enters into the fearful mystery of human death. The Author of life, the One through Whom all things were made, descends to the place of the dead where he liberates those who have been waiting for rescue from the start of human history. Returning to earth, Jesus resurrects in his glorified and immortal body, appearing to the disciples and making it clear that in his sacrifice, both sin and death have been conquered. Salvation is available to all.
The foregoing is the kerygma; it is the base line; the heart of the Good News. It is where and how evangelization starts. And it was so astonishing to Gentile ears that the Gentiles flocked to the faith at the preaching of the disciples, as is evidenced in both today's first and second readings.
In the first reading we are told that Paul and Barnabas made inroads in their initial preaching at the synagogue in Antioch in Pisidia (vss. 42-43). The next week, "almost the whole city" turns out to hear them, Jews and Gentiles both (vs. 44). Despite having some success with the Jews of the city, the disciples incur the wrath of the synagogue leadership, who plot actively to undermine their efforts. Paul and Barnabas declare that from now on they will minister to the Gentiles, who receive the Good News with great joy (vss. 46-49). This dynamic occurred in city after city, on the missionary journeys of St. Paul and his team. It was the Gentiles who made up the vast majority of the first Christians.
The reading from Revelation is one of my favorite passages from Scripture; it depicts a "vast multitude which no one could count from every nation, race, people and tongue" (vs. 9). This vision gives testimony to the success of evangelization efforts throughout history. The uncountable crowd from Revelation represents only those Christians who will live at the very end of time: many billions more, of course, have lived since the apostolic era.
Which brings me back to Pope Francis' approach to evangelization. Evangelization is about the Good News. It is about the central claims of the Christian faith. It should not be confused with apologetics or catechesis. Apologetics seeks to defend articles of the faith against attack. Catechesis offers a deeper grasp of the mysteries of the faith, once the faith has been accepted.
Evangelization is an invitation. It is an invitation to a banquet. And when properly employed, it is joyful, it is bright with grace, with serenity, with hope. Very importantly, successful evangelization wins trust. It is the experience of the Samaritan woman at the well with Jesus. Over the course of a long conversation, Jesus so wins her confidence that when he lets her know -- without judging her -- that he knows all about her scandalous past, she is not offended. She does not pull away in anger or shame or fear. Rather, she draws closer: "Sir, I can see you are a prophet..." (John 4:16-19).
Today's reading from Acts of the Apostles describes how the Gentiles responded in huge numbers to the preaching of the apostles. It is highly unlikely that that preaching involved condemnation of the Gentiles as sinners. It is highly unlikely that Paul and Barnabas began their preaching with a list of rules for the Gentiles to follow.
The Gentiles responded to the news that God loved them. The Gentiles responded to the astonishing reality of the Resurrection; they responded to the news that death is not the end; that human life is filled with meaning and purpose. In this new understanding they grasped their worth, their eternal value. And in this new understanding their experience of life itself was transformed; transformed by light, by hope, by joy.
THAT is evangelization. To the extent that Christians (I mean ALL of us, Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox) present the Christian faith to the world as a list of rules, evangelization is undermined. It is likely, in fact, defeated outright.
This is not rocket science. When people feel seen, understood and loved, as the Samaritan woman did, they feel safe. When people feel safe, they are open to taking stock of their lives, admitting their faults and failings. And -- because they have come to trust its Giver -- they feel empowered to cooperate with grace; to become the disciples they are called to be.
The ultimate aim of evangelization is discipleship; is, in fact, sainthood. But effective evangelization recognizes that it all starts with an invitation; an invitation to a banquet. "This man eats with sinners" (Luke 15:2).
It is Thursday as I am writing this and -- very much to my amazement -- we have a new pope. I am amazed at how quickly he was chosen and I am amazed as well at who he is. A native of Chicago. A missionary priest who lived in South America so long that he has Peruvian citizenship. Said to be something of a centrist and a bridge builder, with substantial diplomatic experience. The media this morning were commenting on how "young" he is. He is 69. It's all relative, I guess -- Francis was 76 and Benedict 78, at the time of their accession to the Chair of Peter. He is, in any event, the first pope of my generation.
Folks have asked me about him and about his selection. What I have said above is about as much as I know about him. Like most of the rest of the world, I am on a learning curve, with the former Cardinal Prevost. As to his selection, I think it is safe to say that, happening as it did on the second day of the conclave, there was very likely a general consensus among a strong majority of the cardinals about the direction they want to see the Church take. With that consensus in place, it was only a matter of determining which candidate they thought likeliest to be able to chart that course. In selecting Prevost it does seem to me that the cardinals were concerned about preserving unity -- it is no secret that Francis made some of them nervous.
I liked Leo 14th's inaugural comments and I was especially pleased that he ended the moment with the Hail Mary. But I repeat, I am astounded at his selection. He was only rarely mentioned as a serious contender, and the fact that he is American seemed, really, to guarantee his non-appointment. His was truly a dark-horse candidacy but the Holy Spirit is, as one of my sisters likes to say, "no bench-warmer." The Holy Spirit is full of surprises.
Several of us in Campus Ministry at O'Dowd were gathered round a large flatscreen tv for the forty or fifty minutes between the white smoke and the appearance of our new pope on the balcony. Some of our student leaders in Campus Ministry were also in and out. When she heard that the new pope had been born in Chicago, Leila, a senior, said, "Oh my gosh! Deep dish is coming to Vatican City!"
She meant the comment largely in jest. But in fact, it is likely to prove prophetic. Not necessarily that Chicago-style pizza is going to be in vogue now, in Rome, but simply that our new pope is, after all, from Chicago. From North America. With huge South American ministerial experience. Though no doubt at home in Rome, and clearly a very international man, Leo 14 was born, raised, ordained and formed in his priesthood, in the Americas. Inevitably, there is going to be a certain "American" sensibility to his papacy. I'm a little intrigued by that, whether deep dish turns up at Vatican receptions or no.
Kinda tough to follow the election of a new pope with any other "news," so I will let this one end here.
Take care and God bless.
Habemus Papam!
Love in the Lord,
Fr. Brawn