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I. NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS

OF EVANGELIZATION

Summary: Introduction: Theology, pastoral and spirituality of evangelization. -

1. Mission or apostolate: A) Christ the Messiah (the anointed) and

apostle (the one who was sent); B) The «apostles»; C) The Church's

apostolicity; D) Essential elements of the apostolate or mission; E)

Participation in mission. - 2. Evangelizing activity: A) Nature and

characteristics; B) Universality of Christian evangelization; C)

Historical and socio-cultural limitations. - 3. The spirit of the

operative paths of mission: A) Proclamation and witness; B) A call to

personal adherence to Christ; C) Building up the community in charity.

Introduction: Theology, pastoral and spirituality of evangelization

The concept of mission and evangelization is learnt in harmony with the

love of Christ: «Mission is an issue of faith, an accurate indicator of our

faith in Christ and his love for us... This is why the Church's mission

derives not only from the Lord's mandate but also from the profound demands of

God's life within us» (RMi 11). It is only in harmony with the person and

message of Jesus that the meaning of mission clearly and fully appears: «We

cannot understand or carry out the mission unless we refer it to Christ as the

one who was sent to evangelize» (RMi 88).

Jesus' missionary «mandate» is understood and lived in harmony with his

sentiments regarding the salvation of mankind: «I have other sheep» (Jn 10:16),

«Come to me, all» (Mt 11:28), «I have compassion on the crowd» (Mt 15:32) «I

thirst» (Jn 19:28), «As the Father has sent me, even so I send you» (Jn 20:21),

«Go therefore and make disciples of all nations» (Mt 28:19)...

The proclamation of the Gospel or «evangelization» has a nature and

characteristics that appear only in the light of the word of God and of Jesus

himself «the one sent to evangelize» (Lk 4:18). In order to study the content

of the Christian mystery we cannot set out basically from the semantics or

philosophy of language, nor from a comparison with the various «apostolic»

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initiatives of non-Christian religions. The Christian mission or

evangelization is unrepeatable since it has its origin in the mystery of the

Trinity (God the Father who sends his Son through the Spirit) and the mystery

of the Incarnation (Jesus, the Son of God who has been made our brother, is

risen).

Evangelization has many aspects which we will study in the later

chapters. Here it suffices to remember the nature of mission (in Christ and in

the Church), missionary activity itself, the quality of evangelizers, etc.

In its very nature the Kingdom of God preached by Jesus includes its

extension in space and time. The salvation brought by Christ must reach all

people in accordance with the Father's plans of salvation. But Jesus made his

«apostles» sharers in this responsibility of spreading the kingdom and

evangelizing all mankind.

From the scriptural texts and the teaching of the Church several

prospects or dimensions regarding mission emerge: salvific or theological

(God's universal saving designs), Christological (the mandate of Christ the

only Saviour), pneumatological (under the action of the Holy Spirit),

ecclesiological (missionary nature of the Church), anthropological and

sociological (concern for human realities and situations), eschatological

(emphasis on hope and transcendence), pastoral (apostolic activity), spiritual

(communitarian personal attitude), etc.

After the conciliar decree «Ad Gentes», the apostolic exhortation

«Evangelii Nuntiandi» and the encyclical «Redemptoris Missio», the mission

themes can be set out mainly on three important levels:

Theological level: what is mission? (AG I; EN I-III; RMi I-III).

Operative level: A) how should missionary activity be carried out? (AG

II, III, V; EN IV-V; RMi IV-V); B) mission workers (AG IV; VI; EN VI; RMi V);

C) animation of the Christian community to make it become missionary (AG VI; EN

VI; RMi VII).

Spiritual level: how mission should be lived by individual apostles and

all the community (AG IV; EN VII; RMi VIII).

Theology examines the nature of mission; pastoral theology studies how

missionary activity should be carried out; spirituality is concerned with the

inner attitudes of evangelization.

The conciliar and post-conciliar orientations are a reference point for a

genuine theology, pastoral and spirituality of mission. From the theology of

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mission one easily passes to pastoral theology and spirituality. In fact, in

its practical aspect mission becomes social action. From Christ's «mandate»

(«sending», «mission») one goes on to pastoral activity and the coherent life

(spirituality) of individuals and communities. The «spirit» of mission and

evangelizing activity develops starting from the love of the Good Shepherd.

1. Mission or apostolate

In the general sense the word «apostle» means someone who is sent, or a

herald. The role of the one sent is to fulfil a mission or assignment; herald

indicates the spokesman of a public proclamation for the community. Thus

apostolate means mission or proclamation. In the Christian sphere, the apostle

is a messenger who proclaims revelation and applies the redemption with the

means that Christ established. Namely, it is a proclamation and fulfilment of

salvation.

A description of Christian apostolic activity could be summarized in this

way: «The goal of apostolic endeavour is that all who are made sons of God by

faith and baptism should come together to praise God in the midst of his

Church, to take part in the Sacrifice and to eat the Lord's Supper» (SC 10) 1

1    ? The theology of mission develops starting from the word of God, the Church's teaching and historical and present-day missionary testimonies: Aa.Vv., Mission for the third Millennium, Course of Missiology, Rome (Bangalore), PMU 1992; Aa.Vv. (P. Flanagan ed.), A New Missionary Era, New York 1979; Aa.Vv., Contemporary Theologies of Mission, Grand Rapids, Michigan 1983; Aa.Vv., Church as Mission, Washington 1984; Aa.Vv., Towards a New Age in Mission, The Good News of God's Kingdom to the Peoples of Asia (International Congress on Mission, 2-7- Dec. 1979), Manila 1981; Aa.Vv., Evangelization, «Documenta Missionalia» 9 (1975); Aa.Vv., Missiologia oggi, Roma Pont. Univ. Urbaniana 1985; Aa.Vv., L'Annuncio del Vangelo oggi, Roma, Pont. Univ. Urbaniana 1977; Aa.Vv., La misionología hoy, Estella, Verbo Divino 1987 (Buenos Aires, Edit. Guadalupe); Aa.Vv., Prospettive di missiologia oggi, «Documenta Missionalia» 16 (1982); Aa.Vv., Lexikon Missionstheologischer Grundbegriffe, Berlin, D. Reimer Verlag 1987; D.S. Amalorpavadass, Approach, Meaning and Horizon of Evangelization, Bangalore, NBCLC 1973; F. Asensio, Horizonte misional a lo largo del Antiguo y Nuevo testamento, Madrid, CSIC 1974; R. Bassham, Mission Theology, California 1979; J.H. Bavinck, An Introduction to the Science of Mission, Philadelphia 1970; A. Bellagamba, Mission and ministry in the global Church, New York, Orbis Books 1992; D.J. Bosch, Transforming Mission. Paradigm Chifts in Theology of Mission, New York, 1993; R. Campell, The church in mission, New York, Maryknoll 1965; Y.M. CONGAR, Principes doctrinaux, in: L'activité missionnaire de l'Eglise, Paris, Unam Sanctam 67 (1967) 185-221; M. Dagras, Théologie de l'évangélization, Paris, Desclée 1978; H. De Lubac, Le fondement théologique des missions, Paris 1946; J. Esquerda Bifet, Pastoral for a Missionary Church, Rome, Pont. Univ. Urbaniana 1993; P. Hacker, Theological Foundations of Evangelization, St. Agustine 1980; B. Haring, Evangelization today, St. Paul Pub. 1974; A.M. Henry, Esquise d'une

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A) Christ the «Messiah» (the anointed) and «apostle» (the one who was sent)

The mission carried out by the Christian community derives from the

mission of God who desires the salvation of all mankind through Jesus Christ:

«The Church on earth is by its very nature missionary since, according to the

plan of the Father, it has its origin in the mission of the Son and the Holy

Spirit» (AG 2). «The Church's universal mission is born of faith in Jesus

Christ... It is only in faith that the Church's mission can be understood and

only in faith that it finds its basis» (RMi 4). «Salvation can come only from

Jesus Christ» (RMi 5).

Jesus presents himself as the «Christ» or «Messiah», which means

anointed, for a mission that is prophetic, priestly and kingly with universal

dimensions. It is not that Jesus calls himself «Messiah» directly, but he

teaches the people and the disciples so that they recognize him as such within

the universal perspectives of the New Testament. Jesus questions his disciples

about the faith: «Who do you say that I am?». And he praised Peter's answer as

being inspired: «You are the Christ (the anointed), the Son of the living God»

(Mt 16:16; Mk 8:29). This was also the early faith of the first who accepted

him (Jn 1:41: «We have found the Messiah»). However Jesus helped his followers

to enrich this title not with the prospect of earthly honours and powers but

with a sacrificing death, «the sorrowful servant» who «will draw all men» to

himself and save them (Jn 12:32). So the «messianic» title of «Christ» is the

same as that of the «son of man» (Mt 26:63 ff) who will sit at the right hand

of God as the universal saviour. Only in the light of the resurrection could

théologie de la mission, Paris 1959; B.P. Keum-Ok , Recent Trends in Mission Theology, a Study of Literature 1975-1985, Rome, PUG 1990; J. Masson, Missions: Church and Mission, in: Sacramentum Mundi, Burns and Oates, vol. IV, 1969, 49-79; K. Müller, Mission Theology, an Introduction, Steyler Verlag, St. Augustin 1987; C. Papali, The theology of mission, «Euntes Docete» 17 (1964) 3-32; E.C. Pentecost, Issues in Missiology: An Introduction in Missiology, Michigan, Baker Book House 1982; J. Power, Mission theology today, Dublin 1970; J. Raymond Tallman, An Introduction to World Missions, Chicago, Moody Press 1989; L. Rutti, Zur Theologie der Mission, München 1972; Sacred Congregation f. Evang. of Peoples, Theological and Spiritual Aspects of Evangelization of the Present Time, Rome 1974; A. Santos, Teología sistemática de la misión, Estella, Verbo Divino 1991; D. Senior, C. Struhlmüller, The biblical Foundations for Mission, Orbis Books 1984; A. Seumois, Teologia missionaria, Bologna, EDB 1993; A. Shorter, Theology of mission, Cork 1972; P. Vadakumpadan, Evangelization today, Shillong 1989; G. Vanchipvrackal, Why the Missions? A Study of the Necessity of Evangelization, Bangalore 1981; J. Verkuyl, Contemporary missiology, Michigan 1978; A. Wolanin, Teologia della missione, Casale Monferrato, PIEMME 1989. See other studies in note 20.

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one see the profound and universal perspective of the title of Messiah or

Christ. The «anointed» had to suffer the passion and death in order «to enter

into his glory»; namely, so «that the Christ should suffer and on the third day

rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be

preached in his name to all nations» (Lk 24:46).

The title of «Christ» (the anointed) must be joined to that of «Jesus»

(the saviour).

Both titles have the universal meaning of the one who was sent by the

Father and consecrated (anointed) by the Holy Spirit to save all mankind.

Many times Jesus is called «apostle» or «the one sent» 2.

This mission is also «anointing» in that he has been sent permanently and

with the full dedication of his existence to «evangelization». This is why his

mission is called the mission of the Spirit who anoints Jesus3.

Jesus' existence, his whole life and all his actions can be considered as

anointing and mission. The reason for Jesus' existence is the universal

mission since, as God's Son and our brother, he accomplishes salvation with the

sacrifice of his own life.

Jesus' mission (which is also anointing) is a doctrinal and prophetic

mission, a sacrificial or priestly mission, a royal mission or one of spreading

the Kingdom of God. This is how the Gospel texts and the whole context of the

New Testament explain Jesus' mission. He was anointed and sent as a prophet,

priest and king4.

2    ? Jn 3:17-34; 7:16; 11:42; 14:24; 17:19 ff; Lk 4:18; Heb 3:1. See doctrinal summary in «Ad Gentes» n. 3. S. Brechter, Decree on the Church's Missionary Activity, in: H. Vorgrimler (ed.), Commentary on the Documents of Vatican II, vol. IV (London 1969), 87-181; Decree on the Church's Missionary Activity (6 August 1966), in: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents (Ed. A.Flannery), New York 1988, 813-862. Commentaries on «Redemptoris Missio»: Aa.Vv., Cristo, Chiesa, Missione, commento all'enciclica «Redemptoris Missio», Roma, Pont. Univ. Urbaniana 1992; Aa.Vv., Redemptoris Missio, Riflessioni, Roma, Pontificia Università Urbaniana 1991; Aa.Vv., Redemptoris Missio, points de vue, évolution, perspectives, «Spiritus» 33 (1992) 143-232; Aa.Vv., La missione del Redentore, Leumann, Torino, LDC 1992.

3    ? Cf. Lk 4:18 (Nazareth), Lk 1:35 (incarnation), Lk 4:14 (preaching).

4    ? Heb 5:1 ff; Lk 4:18; Jn 10:36. Cf. Biblical texts and comment in: J. Esquerda Bifet, Spiritualità e missione dei presbiteri, Casale Monferrato, Piemme 1990, ch. II (Christ the Priest and Good Shepherd prolonged in the Church); F. Hahn, Mission in the New Testament, London 1981; L. Legrand, Good News and Witness, The New testament Understanding of Evangelization, Bangalore 1973; R. Schnackenburg, The Church in the New Testament, London, Burns and Oates 1981.

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So Jesus' mission is one of kingship, priesthood and prophecy, as a

mission of conquest, immolation and following. The assignment received from

the Father is to manifest and communicate the plans of salvation to all

mankind. The centre of Jesus' life is mission, i.e. the assignment received

from the Father (Jn 10:19), which is to give his life for all. His mission is

«holistic» since it is rooted in his own being and includes his whole existence

and his whole accomplishment. It is a universal and cosmic mission since all

creation, all humanity and all history fall under its influence. Hence it is a

mission without boundaries5.

B) The «apostles»

Jesus wanted to pass on his mission to the group of his disciples among

which the «twelve» emerge with the special title of «apostles». He charges

them to continue the mission he has received from the Father and, in order to

carry this out, he promises and transmits to them the power of the Holy

Spirit6.

In this way Jesus will prolong his presence, his message and saving

action throughout time and in a universal perspective. The mission passed on

to the apostles has the same characteristics as Jesus' mission: «to all

nations» (Mt 28:19). Those sent or the «apostles» of Jesus speak in his name

and represent him with perceptible signs (Mk 6:7; Mt 10:40; Jn 17:10).

The apostolic mission participates in the threefold aspect of Jesus'

mission: prophetic, priestly, kingly (Mt 28:18ff). By their very nature the

5    ? Present-day Christologies do not fail to mention Christ's mission: CL. Dillenschneider, Christ the One Priest and We His Priests, London 1964-1965; F.X. Durwell, The mystery of Christ and the apostolate, London, Sheed and Ward 1971; Idem, La résurrection de Jésus, mystère de salut, Paris, Cerf 1976; J. Dupuis, Jesus Christ at the Encounter of World Religions, New York, Orbis 1991; CH. Duquoc, Christologie, Paris, Cerf 1972; J. Galot, La persone du Christ, Duculot, Lethielleux 1969; W. Kasper, Jesus the Christ, New York, Paulist Press 1974; J. Macquarrie, Jesus Christ in Modern Thought, London, SCM 1990; A. Wolanin, The mission of Jesus Christ, in: Mission for the third Millennium, Course of Missiology, Rome (Bangalore), PMU 1992, 59-103.

6    ? Mt 28:16; Jn 15:16; 17:18; 20:21. It is also the mission of the Spirit: Jn 20:21-23; Eph 3:20. F.X. Durwell, Holy Spirit of God, London 1986; E.F. Farrel, Surprised by the Spirit, New Jersey, Dimension Books 1973; A.M: Henry, The Holy Spirit, New York 1960; P. Kalilombe, Evangelization and the Holy spirit, «African Ecclesiastical Review» 18 (1976) 8-18; D. Senior, C. Stuhlmueller, The Holy Spirit and Missionary Dynamisme, «Omnis Terra» (1980) 232-242; D. Trakatellis, The Holy Spirit and Mission: basic aspects in the New Testament, in: Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, Lib. Edit. Vat. 1983, 829-837.

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word preached by the apostles, the sacrifice they draw attention to and the

action of spreading the Kingdom have a universal perspective. This is what

Jesus' mission is like and it is also what the shared mission is like.

Going «before» Jesus (Lk 10:1) means presenting the perceptible sign of

an action of the Lord that already exists in some way before the apostle

reaches any human sector.

The whole Church has received Jesus' mission. The «twelve» apostles

constitute the Church's «apostolicity». They are like a reference point that

guarantees the mission of every Christian7.

Sharing Christ's mission presupposes using one's whole existence as the

Lord did, in this task entrusted by the Father and animated by the Holy Spirit.

The person of the apostle, his existence and his activity, are conditioned in

everything and always for mission.

The mission received from Jesus must always be intimately related to the

action of the Holy Spirit. It is the same Spirit that anointed Jesus who

«baptizes» or anoints the apostles (Acts 1:5) and fills them with his power

(Acts 1:8). Hence this mission is an anointing or «seal» (Eph 1:13). So in

communicating his mission Jesus communicates the Holy Spirit (Jn 20:21-23).

Paul always feels led on by this power of the Spirit that urges him to

evangelize according to the mission received from Jesus (Rom 1:1-4).

The apostle is directed towards the mystery of the death and resurrection

of Jesus whose witness he is (Acts 1:22; 3:32). All apostolic action consists

in proclaiming, making present and communicating this paschal mystery of Jesus.

This is why Jesus had promised the Holy Spirit who «binds» the person of the

apostle (Acts 20:22) and enables him to understand the person and doctrine of

Jesus better in order to transmit it and be a faithful witness to it (Jn 15:

26-27; 16:13-14). So the apostle becomes the «glory» or expression of Jesus

himself (Jn 16:14; 17:10).

C) The apostolicity of the whole Church

«The Lord Jesus sent his Apostles to every person, people and place on

earth. In the Apostles the Church received a universal mission - one which

knows no boundaries - which involves the communication of salvation in its

integrity» (RMi 31).

7    ? Lk 6:13; Eph 2:20. The choosing of Matthias (Acts 1:21 ff) indicates a special apostolicity of the twelve which constitutes the mission of the whole Church.

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Jesus gave the whole Church the mission to evangelize all nations, that

is, to «proclaim the faith and salvation which comes from Christ»8. This

mission comes from Christ's command (Mt 28:19 ff; Mk 16:15) and from the very

life that Christ infuses in his faithful so that «the whole body (of the

Church)... makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love» (Eph 4:16). This

is the nature of, or rather, the reason for, the Church's existence.

When we say that «the Church is by her very nature missionary»9, we mean

the being and activity of the Church. This is her «mission» and apostolicity:

«the Church makes herself fully present to all men and peoples»10, «the Church

prays and likewise labours so that into the People of God... may pass the

fullness of the whole world»11. The Church's apostolicity could be studied

through various dimensions:

- Trinitarian dimension: as God's charity that spreads in all hearts;

- Christological dimension: as Christ's command to reach all nations;

- pneumatological dimension: as the power of the Spirit that embraces all

humanity and all creation;

- eschatological dimension: as dynamics towards a final restoration of

all things in Christ.

The very nature of the Church, which is the «universal sacrament of

salvation»12 is a mission or apostolate. The ecclesial action of the apostolate

8    ? «Ad Gentes» n. 5. «If Christ "united himself with each man", the Church lives more profoundly her own nature and mission by penetrating into the depths of this mystery and into its rich universal language», Enc. «Redemptor Hominis» n. 18. See: AAS 71 (1979) 257-324.

9    ? Ibid. n. 2 and 5.

10    ? Ibid. n. 5.

11    ? «Lumen Gentium» n. 17. The missionary nature of the Church is explained in the light of her reality as a community that is sent (Christ's command), as a clear sign and bearer of the mystery of Christ, of motherhood, of sacramentality, etc. Aa.Vv., Church as Mission, Washington 1984; J. Blauw, The Missionary Nature of the Church, Grand Rapids 1962; R. Campell, The church in mission, New York, Maryknoll 1965; R.E. Hedlund, The mission of the Church in the world: a Biblical theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House 1991; B. Kloppenburg, The Ecclesiology of Vatican II, Chicago, Franciscan Herald Press 1974; J. Masson, Missions: Church and Mission, in: Sacramentum Mundi, Burns and Oates, vol. IV, 1969, 49-79; E. Nunnenmacher, The missionary nature of the Church, in: Mission for the third Millennium, o.c., 105-168; R. Schnackenburg, The Church in the New Testament, London, Burns and Oates 1981.

12    ? «Ad Gentes» n. 1; «Lumen Gentium» n. 1 and 48. On the Church «sacrament» present-day studies stress the ecclesial reality of the sign, i.e.,

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is a continuation of Christ's action and of God's eternal plans. For those who

become part of the Church, Baptism is «entering» responsibly into these plans

of salvation established by God13.

The ecclesiastic characteristic of apostolicity includes two aspects:

fidelity to the mission of Christ and the Apostles, fidelity to the present

action of the Holy Spirit.

The first aspect is more ontological and one of stability. It is a

question of «guarding what has been entrusted to you» (1 Tim 6:20). This

fidelity is also respect for the truth and doctrine of Christ, transmitting it

without personal digressions. However it is not only a simple mechanical

transmission, but an intense fidelity in the sense of deepening the revealed

doctrine more and more all the time since its treasure is inexhaustible.

Ecclesiastical apostolicity requires fidelity to the Christian message without

necessarily tying it to any culture or philosophical expression of the past or

present14.

The second aspect is more dynamic since it presupposes attention to the

action of the Spirit in every age and in every new circumstance. It includes

the entire problem of the adaptation of the message and the urgency of

presenting it according to the new opportunities for evangelization. It is a

fidelity of discernment with regard to concrete apostolic activity.

Both aspects are complementary and indispensable. The first without the

second would be reduced to a material transmission that could paralyse all the

Church's vitality. The second without the first would be an activity without

orientation and without reference to the mission of Jesus. By its very nature

fidelity to the message and mission of Christ includes fidelity to the new

action of the Spirit sent by Jesus himself to instil the message and make it

live for all mankind. With this dual fidelity, the Church travels towards an

eschatology or fullness and towards a final encounter with Christ.

Finally the Church's apostolicity has a radical «theological» sense

of a transparency and instrument. See note 11. Y.M, Congar, Un peuple messianique, l'Église sacrement du salut, Paris, Cerf 1975.

13    ? Mission has a trinitarian dimension: LG 1-4; AG 1-4. See: Y. Congar, Principes doctrinaux, in: L'action missionnaire de l'Eglise, Décret «Ad Gentes», Paris, Cerf 1967, 185-221;J.S. Connor, Towards a Trinitarian Theology of Mission, «Missiology» 2 (1981) 155-168; J.H. Nicolas, Synthèse dogmatique. De la Trinité à la Trinité (Paris, Beauchesne, 1986).

14    ? Cf. this same chapter (2, C): historical and socio-cultural limitations.

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because it starts from the plans of salvation of the God of love (trinitarian

dimension), it is accomplished according to the Christ's command

(Christological dimension) and with the power of the Spirit (pneumatological

dimension) and strives to bring all creation and all humanity to fullness in

the risen Christ (eschatological dimension).

The two aspects of fidelity to the message and fidelity to the action of

salvation produce a balance in the Church in which the mystery of the

incarnation appears in all its depths. Thus the Church is the visible

extension of Christ, faithful to the Father's command and doctrine and to the

action of the Holy Spirit. God approaches man in his concrete and historical

circumstance in order to let him enter the plans of salvation. The «Emmanuel»

also appears in this way in the Church which faithfully transmits Christ's

doctrine, assuming and purifying all human values according to God's plans of

redemption.

D) Essential elements of the apostolate or mission

There are two main aspects that can be discerned in the mission or

apostolate: «the order» or mandate and the social action through which mission

is put into practice. In the case of the Christian mission, as we have seen

above, it is Christ who sends forth and makes others share in the mission of

the Father and the Spirit. Christian apostolic activity has some special

characteristics which we will now summarize.

Christian apostolic activity would be just like any other social activity

if it lacked the «order» or mandate. As a rule «proselytism» activities tend

to strengthen a system and an ideology. Christianity, however, lies within

God's children's path of freedom that cannot be subject to any system or

ideology even if it had Christian origins. Hence Christian apostolic activity

starts from the incarnation, from the paschal mystery (death, glorification,

Pentecost) and from God's predestination over human salvation in Christ.

This apostolic activity which presupposes mission develops over a range

of possibilities: prayer, witness, proclamation of salvation, the call to faith

and conversion, celebration of the sacraments (especially of Baptism and the

Eucharist), orientation towards a fuller encounter with Christ, personal and

social concrete commitments... (RMi 41-60).

The most complete characteristics will depend on each apostle's «charism»

or vocation and on his concrete availability. In fact, though apostolic

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activity includes this whole range we have just described, an emphasis or

momentary preference can be given to one of the points, either because of the

vocation of each individual or because of the present urgings of the actions of

the Holy Spirit, or because of the real necessities of a human community 15.

Among all these elements some stand out around which all the others

revolve so that apostolic activity does not become dispersion or unbalance. It

is not really a question of superiority, but of a central point around which

the others can rotate. If one wished to indicate superiority, a comparison

should be made between service of the word, of the sacramental signs and Church

organization; in this comparison we will find a superiority of each of these

elements according to how they are presented. However this theme is more in

keeping with those that are called permanent signs of evangelization16. Writers

have spoken of a «soul of the apostolate»17. Already in St. Paul there is a

kind of guiding thread as the «soul» of his apostolic activity: loving

contemplation of the mystery of Christ (Eph 3). St. Thomas presented apostolic

activity as a communication of what is found in contemplation18. Later however

he indicated prayer as the soul of every apostolate. This is how Vatican II

described our theme: «the love of God and man is the soul of the apostolate»19.

So love is the soul of every apostolic action. However this love, the

soul of action, includes dialogue or harmony with God and men. This implies

willingness to do God's saving will, which is expressed in prayer and is put

into practice also in action. A necessary consequence is the responsible

syntonization with human problems, like the Good Shepherd who spent nights in

prayer (Lk 6:12) and took upon himself the infirmities and problems of all (Mt

8:17).

In this sense love is the soul of every apostolate. Love alone

penetrates God's inner designs and also the deepest reality of the human being.

15    ? See bibliography of notes 1 and 20.

16    ? See chapter 6 on the permanent signs of evangelization.

17    ? J. Dupont, Le discours de Milet, testament pastoral de Saint Paul, Paris, Cerf 1962; A. Seumois, La charité apostolique fondement de l'activité missionnaire, «Neue Zeitschrift für Missionswissenschaft» 9 (1957) 256-270; Idem, L'anima dell'apostolato missionario, Emi 1971; P. Xardel, La flamme qui dévore le berger, Paris, Cerf 1969.

18    ? «Contemplata aliis tradere» (II-II q. 188, a. 6).

19    ? «Lumen Gentium» n. 33.

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And it is only with a spirit of contemplation that one reaches this love which

has no boundaries nor allows egoistic reckonings in the apostle's life. Love

reveals God's plans of salvation for mankind and binds the apostle to lay down

his life like the Good Shepherd (Jn 10).

E) Participation in mission

Christ's mission, which continues in the Church, is shared by all

Christians in different ways and degrees. There is always some reference to

the mission of the twelve (or to the episcopal college), but mission in general

belongs to the very nature of the Church. A distinction could be made between

the mission of love and the hierarchical mission. The former is more general

and has its origin in the very nature of Christian life as the mission of the

Holy Spirit. The latter is more one of visibility, organization and structure.

But this subdivision, which may be useful in a systematic study, is imperfect.

In spite of and notwithstanding the poor terminology, it corresponds to a dual

reality or to a dual aspect of a single reality. Both missions (charismatic

and hierarchical) complete and presuppose each other.

Mission comes from Christ who established his Church as a people of God

and as his visible expression. This mission (which is at one and the same time

charismatic and hierarchical) is shared in the Church in various ways and

degrees, always in reference to the mission received by the apostles and their

successors. One can participate in the ministerial priesthood, in the lay

vocation and in the life of consecration to God. Participation may come from a

sacrament, from a Church appointment, from a special grace (vocation), etc.

And it always has an aspect that is more charismatic and an aspect that is more

visible and organizational.

Every evangelizer has to «insert himself» actively and responsibly in

human situations in the light of the Gospel and according to his or her own

vocation: the lay person as a yeast within human structures, consecrated

persons as a strong sign of the beatitudes, priests as a personal sign of

Christ the Good Shepherd who guides and gives life. Insertion in human

circumstances must not empty the content of the Gospel lived according to one's

own charism. The social encyclical «Centesimus Annus» stresses the

responsibility of all in this demanding insertion: «The Kingdom of God, being

in the world without being of the world, throws lights on the order of human

society, while the power of grace penetrates that order and gives it life. In

13

this way the requirements of a society worthy of man are better perceived,

deviations are corrected, the courage to work for what is good is reinforced.

In union with all people of good will, Christians, especially the laity, are

called to this task of imbuing human realities with the Gospel» (CA 25).

2. Evangelizing activity

We have seen the mission or apostolate in Jesus, in the Apostles and in

the various forms of the Church's participation. The Christian community is an

«evangelizing community... a community of salvation... that exists in order to

evangelize» (EN 13-14), «a chosen race... that you may declare the wonderful

deeds of him who called you out of the darkness into his marvellous light» (1

Peter 2:9).

If this is the Church's essence, in what does evangelizing activity

consist and what are its main characteristics?20.

A) Nature and characteristics of evangelization

Saint Paul speaks of his evangelizing activity many times. It is a

complex activity with a range of nuances that could be summarized initially as

follows: «To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was

given, to preach (evangelize) to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of

Christ, and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages

in God» (Eph 3:8-9). But the New Testament texts on evangelization are so rich

that they cannot be schematized in a few words. In spite of this, we could sum

them up in three: evangelizing, proclaiming (kerygma), bearing witness. They

are words of a much vaster and deeper biblical context than what they can mean

in our vocabulary today. «The name for that deep amazement at man's worth and

dignity is the Gospel... It is also called Christianity. This amazement

determines the Church's mission in the world» (RH 10).

20    ? On the theology of apostolic activity (pastoral), apart from the studies indicated in note 1, see: Aa.Vv., La salvezza oggi, Cong. Intern. Missiologia, Roma, Pont. Univ. Urbaniana 1989; Aa.Vv., Portare Cristo all'uomo, 3 vol., Roma, Pont. Univ. Urbaniana 1985; X. Arnold, Pour une théologie de l'apostolat, Tournai 1961; J. Blauw, L'Apostolat de l'Eglise, esquise d'une théologie de l'apostolat, Tournoai 1961; F. X. Durwell, The mystery of Christ and the apostolate, London, Sheed and Ward 1971; J. Esquerda Bifet, Pastoral for a Missionary Church, Rome, Pont. Univ. Urbaniana 1993; P. Giglioni, The Church's Missionary Activity, in: Mission for the third Millennium, Course of Missiology, Rome (Bangalore), PMU 1992, 169-212; P. Hacker, Theological Foundations of Evangelization, St. Agustine 1980; C. Kennedy, P.F. D'Arcy, The genoius of the apostolate, New York, Sheed and Ward 1965.

14

a) evangelizing

The New Testament language on this word is very rich and varied, as can

be seen in biblical vocabularies and dictionaries. Announcing to the people

(Lk 3:18), proclaiming to the poor (Lk 7:22; 4:18 ff) or preaching with no

further additions (Rom 1:1) always has a context of proclamation and of a

joyful event (Lk 2:10 ff), solemnly proclaimed by Jesus in the beatitudes

(«blessed») and by the Apostles starting from the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:32).

God accomplished salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God become our

brother, who was crucified and is now risen.

b) kerygma

The aspect of proclamation savours of originality as of the «first

proclamation» of the Gospel. Many times St. Paul refers to this first

proclamation which is the specific task of the apostle of the peoples (Rom

15:20). This first proclamation began at Pentecost (Acts 2:32) and was

repeated on different occasions in the early Church (Acts 8:5; 9:20).

It is the «gospel» that Paul preaches to the Gentiles (Gal 2:2) and that

he summarizes at the beginning of the letter to the Romans (Rom 1:1-7). «There

is a need to unite the proclamation of the Kingdom of God (the content of

Jesus' own "kerygma") and the proclamation of the Christ-event (the "kerygma"

of the Apostles). The two proclamations are complementary; each throws light

on the other» (RMi 16).

c) bearing witness

This expression does not mean merely presenting an example of virtue. In

the biblical context it includes witnessing with word and one's own life even

though it might be in «martyrdom» (witness). One bears witness, with one's

words and life, to the death and resurrection of Jesus (Acts 2:32). This is

the reason for the apostle's existence and for this purpose St. Matthias was

chosen (Acts 1:21-23). Jesus communicated his own mission as the mission of

the Father and the Spirit so that the apostle is a «witness» who bears witness

with his words and life (Jn 15:26-27).

Evangelizing activity is an extension of the evangelizing and saving

activity of Christ. It is an activity that contains the power of God (through

the risen Christ and in the Holy Spirit). Evangelization (as a joyful

15

proclamation, as the first proclamation and as a testimony) is God's permanent

activity through the Church.

d) purpose

Though there are many valid aspects of evangelization, its purpose is an

interior change: «The purpose of evangelization is therefore precisely this

interior change, and if it had to be expressed in one sentence the best way of

stating it would be to say that the Church evangelizes when she seeks to

convert, solely through the divine power of the Message she proclaims, both the

personal and collective consciences of people, the activities in which they

engage, and the lives and concrete milieux which are theirs»21. This purpose is

fulfilled in «implanting the Church» in every person and in every human sector:

«For in its totality, evangelization - over and above the preaching of a

message - consists in the implantation of the Church»22.

«It is necessary to keep these two truths together, namely, the real

possibility of salvation in Christ for all mankind and the necessity of the

Church for salvation. Both these truths help us to understand the one mystery

of salvation, so that we can come to know God's mercy and our own

responsibility»23.

e) content

«To evangelize is first of all to bear witness, in a simple and direct

way, to God revealed by Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit»24. So the content of

evangelization is the salvation proclaimed and communicated by Jesus the

Redeemer. «And not an immanent salvation, meeting material or even spiritual

needs, restricted to the framework of temporal existence and completely

identified with temporal desires, hopes, affairs and struggles, but a salvation

which exceeds all these limits in order to reach fulfilment in a communion with

the one and only divine Absolute: a transcendent and eschatological salvation,

21    ? «Evangelii Nuntiandi» n. 18. Enc. «Redemptor Hominis» n. 10: «The Church's fundamental function in every age and particularly in ours is to direct man's gaze, to point the awareness and experience of the whole of humanity towards the mystery of God, to help all men to be familiar with the profundity of the Redemption taking place in Christ Jesus».

22    ? Ibid. n. 28.

23    ? Enc. «Redemptoris Missio» n. 9; cf. nos. 48-49, 72.

24    ? «Evangelii Nuntiandi» n. 26.

16

which indeed has its beginning in this life but which is fulfilled in

eternity»25. Christian evangelization proclaims, with force and power (1 Cor

4:20), these principal salvific facts: Jesus, the Son of God (who died and rose

again), conversion, faith, baptism, eucharist, the forgiveness of sins, the

gift of the Holy Spirit, the final coming of Jesus at the end of time,

ecclesial communion... The «poor» are prepared to receive this salvation (Lk

7:22).

f) means

The salvation proclaimed and communicated by Jesus and by his Church does

not place its hope in human means, but in the power of God. However the

providence of God, who is at the same time creator and restorer, wants those

who cooperate in evangelization to use suitable means. It is a consequence of

the mystery of the incarnation. The ecclesial signs of evangelization are

signs bringing grace and salvation. The goal of these signs is to «implant the

Church», namely, to root the epiphany and closeness of God made man for us in

human life. Principally they are the sign of the word, the sign of the

priesthood (and the sacramental saving action), the sign of the kingship or

organization of the community. These signs however, without losing their own

evangelical virtuality, must be suited to every age, culture, human situation,

and to the simple forms of popular religiosity, etc...26.

So evangelization is an ecclesial activity that proclaims the Gospel so

that faith may be born, enlightened and deepened in a life of holiness with

personal and social consequences. Theological life, in its full growth towards

a vision and possession of God, is the main purpose of evangelization. This

theological life is the foundation of a human family understood as a family of

God's children.

In studying the nature of evangelizing activity, its main characteristics

have appeared as integral parts of the same activity. These characteristics

are the starting point for the basic principles of the missionary spirituality

we will study later on. Let us summarize these main characteristics: The

evangelizing initiative comes from God, the author of the promises, but it

requires the collaboration of the evangelizer as an instrumental action (Col

1:24; 1 Cor 3:9); Christ the Saviour is the centre of evangelization (1 Cor

25    ? Ibid. n. 27.

26    ? Ibid. n. 40-48.

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1:17 ff) but he operates through the Church; accepting evangelization is a gift

of God, the Christian faith, which is communicated to all people of good will;

evangelization is an action of hope founded on the divine promise which has

already been fulfilled in Christ, but which will reach its fullness at the end

of time (eschatology)27.

B) Universality of Christian evangelization

«Man in the full truth of his existence, of his personal being and also

of his community and social being... this man is the way for the Church...

because man - every man without any exception whatever - has been redeemed by

Christ»...28.

The Church's evangelizing activity develops through the ecclesial signs

(word, sacraments, direction and organization). These signs constitute the

sacramentality of the Church which is the «universal sign of salvation». The

«sacramental» nature (i.e. of the signs) of the Church, God's plans of

salvation, Christ's command to evangelize, have universal dimensions. The

Church is the universal sign of the salvific presence and actions of Jesus.

«The first beneficiary of salvation is the Church. Christ won the Church

for himself at the price of his own blood (cf. Acts 20:28) and made the Church

his co-worker in the salvation of the world. Indeed, Christ dwells in the

Church. She is his Bride. It is he who causes her to grow. He carries out

his mission through her» (RMi 9).

Evangelizing means proclaiming and communicating God's «mystery» or plans

of salvation for all mankind. These plans are part of the divine «depths», but

they were manifested and communicated by Christ. This is why Paul speaks of

the «mystery» of Christ (Eph 1:3). The Church is this same «mystery» of Christ

present in the signs. The Latin word that translates «mystery» is the word

«sacrament» in the sense of the manifestation and communication of God's

universal plans of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Evangelization is addressed to everyone, with no exceptions, with no

priorities or privileges. But today this universality of evangelization must

also include special sectors of humanity which do not always coincide with a

geographical area. The universality of evangelization is not simply

27    ? Preparatory document for the 1974 Synod of Bishops: De evangelizatione mundi temporis, Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis 1973. See also Declaratio patrum Synodalium (25 Oct. 1974).

28    ? Enc. «Redemptor Hominis» n. 14.

18

geographical, but in also includes situations, structures, crucial points of

society, dechristianized or secularized sectors, the intellectual world and the

world of work, etc...29.

So Jesus' command to evangelize «all nations» (Mt 28:18) finds its best

expression of universality in the nature of the Church, founded by Him. The

nature and structures of the Church did not arise from a mentality nor from

sociological necessities, but from the reality of the plans of universal

salvation through Jesus Christ. To reduce the Church's evangelizing activity

to a few choices would be to distort the nature of evangelization and the very

nature of the Church30.

The Good Shepherd's love has no boundaries either in geography or in

environments and social classes. He calls all mankind (Mt 11:28), he dies for

all mankind (2 Cor 5:15 f) and his cross draws all mankind (Jn 12:32).

Hence it is Jesus' evangelizing activity that continues in the Church.

The apostle's missionary zeal is based on this universality of evangelization.

«Salvation consists in believing and accepting the mystery of the Father and of

his love, made manifest and freely given in Jesus through the Spirit. In this

way the Kingdom of God comes to be fulfilled: the Kingdom prepared for in the

Old Testament, brought about by Christ and in Christ, and proclaimed to all

peoples by the Church, which works and prays for its perfect and definitive

realization» (RMi 12).

C) Historical and socio-cultural situations

The New Testament documents show that the Christian message was adapted

to many different historical, human and cultural situations. St. Paul's

preaching in the Areopagus is a typical case (Acts 17:15-34). This need to

specify the Gospel and present it in a manner suited to different situations

has been given various names: adaptation, authenticity, indigenization,

acculturation, etc... The basic theological problem has been studied more or

less successfully31.

29    ? «Evangelii Nuntiandi» n. 49-58.

30    ? «Lumen Gentium» n. 9 and 17; «Ad Gentes» n. 2 and 10.

31    ? The process of inculturation presupposes a methodology of respect and purification to reach fullness in Christ. Cf. LG 17; AG 10, 22: RH 12; EN 20; CA (Centesimus Annus) 24, 50, 51. See: Aa.Vv., Building the church in Pluricultural Asia, Rome, Pont. Univ Gregoriana 1986; Aa.Vv., Chiesa locale e inculturazione nella missione, Roma, Urbaniana University Press 1987; Aa.Vv.,

19

Evangelization is always carried out within the mystery of the

Incarnation: «The Word became flesh and dwelt among us» (Jn 1:14). The

insertion of the Gospel is made in all cultural, sociological, historical and

thus religious situations. The Church has the mission to transmit God's

dialogue to men. The Word of God, as it is, must reach the real man or woman

in his or her own circumstances. «The Church must enter into dialogue with the

world in which it lives. It has something to say, a message to give, a

communication to make» («Ecclesiam suam» n. 65).

True insertion becomes «continual renewal» (RMi 52) for believers and

Church communities. «Missionaries, who come from other Churches and countries

must immerse themselves in the cultural milieu of those to whom they are sent,

moving beyond their own cultural limitations» (RMi 53).

Speaking of «limitations» the «autonomy» of the Gospel must remain very

firm since the Christian message comes from the word revealed by God and not

from an ideology or human system. However, the way in which the message is

presented, its application to real events, the deepening of the message itself

starting from new problems or situations, etc., are real «stimuli» that give a

particular tone to the way and moment for evangelizing.

«To be all things for all men» (1 Cor 9:19-23) is the apostolic attitude

Inculturazione, concetti, problemi, orientamenti, Roma, Centrum Ignatianum Spiritualitatis 1979; Aa.Vv., Evangelizzazione e culture, Proceedings of the Scientific International Congress of Missiology, Roma, Pont. Univ. Urbaniana 1976; Aa.Vv., De culturae evangelizatione, «Seminarium» (1978) n. 2; Z. Alszeghy, Cultural Adaptation as an Internal Requirement of Faith, «Gregorianum» 63 (1982) 61-85; M. Amaladoss, Faith, Culture and Inter-religious Dialogue, Indian Social Institute, Delhi 1985; A. Byrne, Some ins and outs of inculturation, «Annales Theologici» 4 (1990) 109-149;H. Carrier, Evangile et cultures, Lib. Edit. Vaticana 1987; F. Clark, Inculturation: Introduction and History, «Teaching All Nations» 15 (1978) 211-225; P. Divarkar, Evangelii nuntiandi and the Problem of Inculturation, «Teaching All Nations» 15 (1978) 226-232; CL. Geffre, Mission et inculturation, «Spiritus» 28 (1987) 406-427; F.E. George, Inculturation and Ecclesial Communion, Rome 1990; L.Z. Legaspi, Evangelization and culture, «Seminarium» 25 (1985) n.2-3, 104-114; J. Luzbetak, The Church and Cultures, Illinois 1970; J. Manathodath, The Inculturation of the Local Churches according to the Teaching of Pope Paul VI, Rome (Diss.) 1984; K. Müller, Inculturation and Evangelization, «Indian Missiological Review» 12 (1990) 29-37; P. Poupard, Evangélization et nouvelles cultures, «Nouvelle Revue Théologique» 109 (1977) 532-549; A. Roest Crollius, What is new about inculturation?, «Gregorianum» 59 (1978) 721-738; Idem, Inculturation and the meaning of culture, «Gregorianum» 61 (1980) 253-274; J. Saldanha, Theological Inculturation as a Missiological Problem, «Indian Theological Studies» 14 (1977) 333-348; D.L. Whiteman (edit.), Missionaries, Anthropologists and Cultural Change, Williamsburg, VA 1985; M. Zago, Inculturation in the Adresses of John Paul II in Asia, «Omnis Terra» n.121 (1981) 375-389.

20

of being able to present the Gospel in a suitable way and time. It presupposes

an ascetical theology of pastoral charity, constantly letting oneself be guided

by the word of God and by the human situation. It is a consequence of the

mystery of the incarnation that reveals the Word made man to us in our own

circumstances (Jn 1:14).

Now the word of God is preached (mystically «reincarnated») in human

events and situations. «At least for many peoples, the present time is instead

marked by a formidable challenge to undertake a "new evangelization", a

proclamation of the Gospel which is always new and always the bearer of new

things, an evangelization which must be new in its ardour, methods and

expression... Evangelization -and therefore the "new evangelization" - also

involves the proclamation and presentation of morality. Jesus himself, even as

he preached the Kingdom of God and its saving love, called people to faith and

conversion (cf. Mk 1:15)» (VS 106-107; cf. RMi 2-3).

Evangelizing activity must therefore consider human beings within their

own situation and concrete problem. The coordinates of time and place

condition the way of evangelizing. Every age has its own historical processes

and every culture has its own ways of thinking. The evangelizer's task will be

to proclaim the Gospel message without equivocating and without altering the

truth already previously contained in human cultures and situations.

The problems of real people differ greatly according to the age. In the

constitution «Gaudium et Spes» Vatican II responded to the problems that

afflict modern man, presenting the risen Christ and the Church's evangelizing

mission32.

In order to evangelize a human community, we should know the historical

processes through which it has passed and in which it now finds itself.

The evaluative analysis of history must be made in the light of a

theology of history which has Christ, the centre of the history of salvation,

as its basic point. St. Augustine's «City of God» is an example of this

evaluative analysis. Without the light of the history of salvation, historical

analyses easily fall into materialism or historical atheism, such as that of

considering every historical event as irreversible, or analyzing all historical

evolution only in the light of economic values or of a struggle between social

classes33.

One of the most concrete points of this problem is the adaptation of

32    ? «Gaudium et Spes», part one. See Ch. Moehler, Mentalité moderne et évangelisation, Bruxelles, Lumen Vitae 1962.

21

cultures, both at the moment of the first evangelization and in the later

processes of maturation34.

When one evangelizes taking account of historical and socio-cultural

limitations, one evangelizes «in a vital way, in depth and right to their very

roots». The independence between evangelization and culture does not mean

incompatibility, nor even a split between them though «the split between the

Gospel and culture is without a doubt the drama of our time, just as it was of

other times»35.

These socio-cultural limitations can present special difficulties in some

concrete age, as ours is. Today evangelization must consider the reality of a

world that tends to «secularization» and that shows many signs of doctrinal or

practical atheism. This phenomenon is seen in Christian communities, but also

in pagan religious environments where the Gospel has to be proclaimed for the

first time.

«The missionary attitude always begins with a feeling of deep esteem for

"what is in man"... It is a question of respecting everything that has been

brought about in him by the Spirit, which "blows where it wills". The mission

is never destruction, instead it is a taking up and fresh building... And we

know well that the conversion that has begun by the mission is a work of grace,

in which man must fully find himself again»36.

The insertion of the Gospel in human circumstances finds a special

application in situations of development and also in situations of

marginalization and injustice. «The mission ad gentes is still being carried

out today, for the most part in the southern regions of the world, where action

on behalf of integral development and liberation from all forms of oppression

is most urgently needed. The Church has always been able to generate among the

33    ? H.W. Gensichen, The Burden and Lesson of History, in: K. Müller, Mission Theology, Steyer Verlag 1987, chap. 6. See: U. von Balthasar, Teologia della storia, Brescia, Morcelliana 1964; M. Flick, Z. Alszeghy, Teologia della storia, «Gregorianum» 25 (1954) 256-298; J. Mouroux, Le mystère du temps, Paris, Aubier 1962; G. Thils, La théologie de l'histoire, Notes bibliografiques, «Ephem. Théol, Lov.» 26 (1950) 87-95.

34    ? «Ad Gentes» n. 19-22; «Gaudium et Spes» n. 44 and 53; «Lumen Gentium» n. 13; etc; «Evangelii Nuntiandi» n. 20, 51 ff; RH 10-12. Vatican II presents the theme speaking of particular Churches («Ad Gentes»); see bibliography of note 31.

35    ? «Evangelii Nuntiandi» n. 20.

36    ? Enc. «Redemptor Hominis» n. 12; see: «Evangelii Nuntiandi» n. 52-57.

22

peoples she evangelizes a drive towards progress. Today, more than in the

past, missionaries are being recognized as promoters of development by

governments and international experts» (RMi 58).

The Church's operative path to attain this integral liberation is the

education of consciences regarding «the grandeur of man created in God's image

and loved by him, the equality of all men and women as God's sons and

daughters, the mastery of man over nature created by God and placed at man's

service, and the obligations to work for the development of the whole person

and of all mankind» (RMi 58)37.

Particular historical situations can present an initial obstacle to

evangelization but in the long run they are always preparatory ages for a new

revival. An evangelization of presence alone in countries where the Gospel

cannot be preached is an effective sowing; but apostles and apostolic

institutions must understand the importance of this apparently sterile time.

In countries where militant atheistic ideology and practice dominates, the

method of wanting to eliminate every Christian imprint through inanition is

followed. In these moments, the best thing the apostle can do is to remain

there in spite of the difficulties, with the conviction that grace acts with

greater force in the faithful people and that «the word of God is not fettered»

(2 Tim 2:9).

3. The spirit of the operative paths of mission

The reasons for carrying out missionary activity are lines of force that

act as a basis for missionary theology, pastoral and spirituality. The «spirit

of evangelization» (EN VII) finds expression in «interior attitudes» (EN 74)

which arise from the nature of evangelization and missionary activity.

After deepening the principles or nature of mission (ch. I-III) and

explaining present-day situations (ch. IV) the encyclical Redemptoris Missio

presents the operative paths of mission. Immediately after the presentation of

the «paths» it speaks of mission leaders (ch. VI), the community's cooperation

in missionary activity (ch. VII) and the need for spirituality (ch. VII).

37    ? Cf. EN 9, 27, 30-38: RMi 58-59; Aa.Vv., Round Table on «La teologia della liberazione», «Euntes Docete» 39 (1986) 239-262; Aa.Vv., Evangelizzare pauperibus, Proceedings of the XXIV biblical week, Brescia, Paideia 1978; Aa.Vv., Evangelization, dialogue and development, «Documenta Missionalia» 5 (1972); F. Gomez, Liberation Theology and christian Liberation, Manila, Univ. Sto. Tomás 1987; G. Gutierrez, A Theology of Liberation, London 1974; S. Legasse, Les pauvres en esprit, évangile et non violence, Paris, Cerf 1974.

23

A) Proclamation and witness

The Gospel message is not a simple list of ideas, but the person and

doctrine of Jesus of Nazareth. This message is proclaimed as the Word of God

who calls for «adherence» to the person and teaching of Jesus. This

proclamation, however, is made in the same dimension as the Lord's: «Jesus

began to do and teach» (Acts 1:1).

The Gospel proclamation cannot exist without a life witness. Witness

requires proclamation: «This Jesus God raised up, and of that we are all

witnesses» (Acts 2:32).

Paul VI's exhortation explains this theme at great length: «Preaching...

is indeed always indispensable. We are well aware that modern man is sated by

talk; he is obviously often tired of listening and, what is worse, impervious

to words. We are also aware that many psychologists and sociologists express

the view that modern man has passed beyond the civilization of the word, which

is now ineffective and useless, and that today he lives in the civilization of

the image» (EN 42).

There is a specific priority for every concept: witness is «the first

form of mission» (RMi 42), «the first means of evangelization» (EN 41).

Proclamation, however, has a priority that comes from the effectiveness of the

Word of God: «Proclamation is the permanent priority of mission. The Church

cannot elude Christ's explicit mandate, nor deprive men and women of the "Good

News" about their being loved and saved by God» (RMi 44). The proclamation of

the Word unites the community as a People of God in order to celebrate the

mysteries of Christ (liturgy, sacraments) and help it to live the demands of

the Gospel.

In the documents of the Magisterium («Ad Gentes», «Evangelii Nuntiandi»,

«Redemptoris Missio») both themes are presented in close relationship, since

«to evangelize is first of all to bear witness, in a simple and direct way, to

God revealed by Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit» (EN 26). In fact,

«Proclamation is inspired by faith, which gives rise to enthusiasm and fervour

in the missionary» (RMi 45). The operative paths of witness (RMi 42-43) must

be indissolubly joined to the life of initial proclamation (RMi 44-45)38.

Evangelizing witness, which must always be united to the explicit

proclamation of the Gospel, is manifested in a life according to the beatitudes

38    ? Cf. AG 11-12; EN 15, 21-22, 26, 41-42, 51-53; RMi 42-45.

24

and thus within the spheres of contemplation and charity. «In fidelity to the

spirit of the Beatitudes, the Church is called to be on the side of those who

are poor or oppressed in any way» (RMi 60). «The missionary is a person of the

Beatitudes... The characteristic of every authentic missionary life is the joy

that comes from faith. In a world tormented and oppressed by so many problems,

a world tempted to pessimism, the one who proclaims the "Good News" must be a

person who has found true hope in Christ» (RMi 91). Only in this way will he

be «a sign of God's love in the world» (RMi 89)39.

B) A call to personal adherence to Christ

The call to «conversion» is an essential part of the «kerygma» (first

proclamation). This was the preaching of John the Baptist (Mk 1:4), of Jesus

(Mk 1:14-16) and the Apostles (Acts 2:38). This «pressing» invitation starts

from God's plans of salvation manifested in his revelation, both in the Old and

New Testament.

Now through his Son made man, God calls people to «direct» their whole

lives towards love. There would be no evangelization without this call to

«conversion» which it related to Christ's missionary mandate (Mk 16:15-16; Lk

24:47)40.

Conversion is always joined to Baptism as a configuration to Christ, «not

only because of the Church's practice, but also by the will of Christ himself,

who sent the Apostles to make disciples of all nations and to baptize them (cf.

Mt 28:19). Conversion is also joined to Baptism because of the intrinsic need

39    ? Aa.Vv., The Church witnesses to the Kingdom, «International Review of Mission» 69 (1980) 117-217; D.J. Bosch, Witness to the World. The Christian Mission in Theological Perspective, London, Marshall, Morgan and Scott 1980; J. Esquerda Bifet, Witnesses to Hope, Apostolic Life, Rome, Ciam 1979; D. Grasso, Testimonianza ed evangelizzazione, in: Le missioni nel Decreto Ad Gentes del concilio Vaticano II, Roma, Pont. Univ. Urbaniana 1966, 175-185; P. Liegé, Le témoignage de la vie, source d'efficacité missionnaire, in: La formatione del missionario oggi, Roma, Pont. Univ. Urbaniana 1978, 91-100; L. Legrand, Good News and Witness, The New testament Understanding of Evangelization, Bangalore 1973; J. López Gay, Evangelization and Witness, «Omnis Terra» 14 (1980) 307-317; L. Newbigin, Christian Witness in a plural Society, London 1977.

40    ? See AG 13-14; EN 9, 18, 23. Studies on conversion in relation to mission: Aa.Vv., Chemins de la conversion, Desclée 1973; G. Bardy, La conversione al cristianesimo nei primi secoli, Milano 1973: Y.M. Congar, La conversion, étude théologique e psichologique, in: Sacerdoce et laïcat, Paris, Cerf 1965, 23-49; R. Garzia, Conversione e missione, Bologna, Emi 1984; F.P. Cotterell, The conversion cruz, «Missiology» 2 (1974) 183-189; G. Croft, Metanoia and mission, «The Way Supplement» 28 (1976) 3-8.

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to receive the fullness of new life in Christ» which is «rebirth from the

Spirit» (RMi 47).

The nature of conversion appears in its dimension as a personal

relationship with Christ to accept his person and his message: «The

proclamation of the word of God has Christian conversion as its aim: a complete

and sincere adherence to Christ and his Gospel through faith» (RMi 46). But it

is also a radical change of standards, of the scale of values and attitudes.

This «change of life» (RMi 47) «from the outset... is expressed in faith which

is total and radical, and which neither limits nor hinders God's gift» (RMi

46). «Faith is a decision involving one's whole existence. It is an encounter,

a dialogue, a communion of love and of life between the believer and Jesus

Christ, the Way, and the Truth, and the Life (cf. Jn 14:6). It entails an act

of trusting abandonment to Christ, which enables us to live as he lived (cf.

Gal 2:20), in profound love of God and of our brothers and sisters» (VS 88).

C) Building up the community in charity

The aim of mission is to build up the ecclesial community. All believers

(priests, laity, consecrated persons) are involved in this harmonious building

through the ministerial services (proclamation of the Word, celebration of the

mysteries, services of guidance and charity). The building up of small

communities (parishes, basic communities...) and of the whole particular Church

is the responsibility of everyone, each one according to his or her own

vocation and charism, under the guidance of a successor of the Apostles.

Christian communities are built up through a process of openness to the

Word of God, through prayer, the celebration of the Eucharist and brotherhood.

This is when the community receives new graces from the Holy Spirit to proclaim

the Gospel with courage: «Every community, if it is to be Christian, must be

founded on Christ and live in him, as it listens to the word of God, focuses

its prayer on the Eucharist, lives in a communion marked by oneness of heart

and soul, and shares according to the needs of its members (cf. Acts 2:42-47)»

(RMi 51).

The specific feature of the Church's missionary activity in all its

operative paths is always that of charity, which becomes a transparency of the

Gospel values contained in the Beatitudes and in the commandment of love. «In

fidelity to the spirit of the Beatitudes, the Church is called to be on the

side of those who are poor and oppressed in any way. I therefore exhort the

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disciples of Christ and all Christian communities - from families to dioceses,

from parishes to Religious Institutes - to carry out a sincere review of their

lives regarding their solidarity with the poor... It is in fact these "works

of charity" that reveal the soul of all missionary activity: love, which has

been and remains the driving force of mission» (RMi 60).

The Church's missionary apostolate is the extension of the Lord's

missionary apostolate: it reaches the concrete individual and the world in

which he lives in order to free the human being and the world from the

oppression of sin and its consequences. It is the human being's total

liberation because it is liberation in hope. Hence it is immanent and

transcendent. «The missionary is a person of the Beatitudes... The

characteristic of every authentic missionary life is the inner joy that comes

from faith. In a world tormented and oppressed by so many problems, a world

tempted to pessimism, the one who proclaims the "Good News" must be a person

who has found true hope in Christ» (RMi 91).

This liberating apostolate is accomplished especially as evangelizing

activity that comes from the Church's mystery as a sign bearing Christ and as a

communion and family of brothers who work together to spread the Kingdom of

God. Mission always starts from charity and seeks to build up charity as

«communion», a reflection of the Trinitarian communion (SRS 40; AG 12)41.

41    ? Aa.Vv., Comunione e comunità, progetto parrocchia 1990, Assisi, Cittadella 1985; J. Esquerda Bifet, Building up the ecclesial community in charity, in: Pastoral for a missionary Church, o.c., chap. 7 (vith bibliography); P. Kalilombwe, An overall View on Building Christian Communities, «Afer» 5 (1976) 261-275; J. Marins, Basic Ecclesial Community: Church from the roots, Bangalore 1981; J. Njenga, Christian Community in Life situations, «Amecea Documentation Service», Nairobi, 6 (1976) 2-8; M. Vellanickal, The Christian Community as Bearer of the Good News. Biblical Foundations and Theological Implication, «Vidyajyoti» 45 (1981) 54-71.