Daily Mass Gospel Reflection - Giving The Gospel

Word on Fire Ministry ^ | 10.18.22 | Bishop Robert Barron

[MurphsLaw]

Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist

Luke 10:1–9 Friends, our Gospel shows us what Jesus wants his followers to be doing and how they ought to do it.
We are a missionary church.
We are sent by the Lord to spread his word and do his work.
The Gospel is not just something that we are meant to cling to for our own benefit;
it is seed that we are meant to give away.

Prayer is not incidental to ministry.
It is not decorative. It is the lifeblood of the Church’s efforts.
Without it, nothing will succeed; without it, no ministers will come forward.
At all times pray, pray, pray.

Poverty and simplicity of life are prerequisites to the effective proclamation of the Gospel.
Anthony, Benedict, Chrysostom, Francis and Clare, Dominic, Ignatius, Mother Teresa—
across the board, the most effective proclaimers of the Gospel are those
who rely on the providence of God and strip themselves of worldliness.
What is the first thing that the minister should do upon entering a city?
“Cure the sick there.” Christ is Soter, healer of both body and spirit.
The second great task of the Church is to proclaim that “the reign of God is at hand.”
The Church is an announcing, proclaiming, evangelizing organism.

[MurphsLaw]

+++The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter,
first say, ‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”+++

[fidelis]

He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.

This remains true in our day--maybe even more so. And it doesn't apply only to the lack of priestly vocations. ALL of the baptized should be actively participating in at least some small way in evangelization. Pray daily and intentionally that souls may be reached for Christ. Pass out prayer cards or rosaries. It really isn't that hard or complicated. Only a lack of desire or will prevents it.

[MurphsLaw]

Mother Angelica certainly let us know what we should be doing...
and NOT doing !...
She was awesome- She picked up where Bp. Sheen left off...
What a force she was... she wouldn't be deterred.
Coming from poverty, and illness- she suffered through it till the end.

I made a trip to her shrine years ago when she was sick-
Awesome place for Mass- def a bucket list item...
Asked there why she chose Birmingham Alabama ! for her order's location...
"Why on earth would she choose to be behind enemy lines, in So. Baptist stronghold AL ?!"

The woman told me her mission was to evangelize African Americans in the deep south- and Birmingham in those days was a hot spot.
(The KKK was very active in that part of the world as well.)
Go figure! She was a civil rights activist ! lol...
she did care deeply about the race issues of the south -
but her conversion efforts weren't as successful as she had hoped for.
How's that for "new Evangelization" chutzpah !