This meeting of the leaders of the early church in Jerusalem was one of the most important in history. This is not because they ruled against the necessity of circumcision for Gentile Christians but because they removed an obstacle to world evangelization. The result of the meeting was that "Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch, along with many others, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord" (Acts 15:35).
Furthering evangelization is the criterion by which we judge the value of any meeting. Does the meeting of your church's parish council result in more powerful evangelization? Are people sent out to evangelize from your Sunday Masses? Do your family gatherings proclaim the Good News of Jesus? Why do you have prayer meetings, socials, business meetings, fellowships, and committee meetings? All meetings must have an evangelistic dimension or there's no reason for their existence. Pope St. Paul VI asserted that the Church "exists in order to evangelize" (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 14).
Jesus did not say: "Go, make buildings, churches, schools, and activities." He said: "Go...make disciples" (Mt 28:19).
| PRAYER: | Jesus, may I win over to You as many as possible, no matter what it takes (1 Cor 9:19). |
| PROMISE: | "As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you." –Jn 15:9 |
| PRAISE: | St. Athanasius defended the Truth against Arianism and was martyred after several exiles. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College