APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION

EVANGELII GAUDIUM
OF THE HOLY FATHER
FRANCIS
TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY, CONSECRATED PERSONS
AND THE LAY FAITHFUL
ON THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL IN TODAYS WORLD

SUBMITTED BY:
2H
PADLAN, Camille
PANDITA, Bai Sharinnah
TICKE, Kathlene Fyle

The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer
of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly
born anew.

I. A JOY EVER NEW, A JOY WHICH IS SHARED

Our world today, being bombarded with consumerism, is filled with people whose hearts have been
hardened that God's voice and message of love can hardy be heard. Hearts filled with unhealthy desires
that many end up resentful, angry and listless, which is in no way, the life God wants for us to live.
Keeping this in mind, the Pope invites all Christians to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ,
or at least an openness to encounter them.
No one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord.
Such is the perfect line to describe the Lord's love for us. Despite the countless disappointments we
bring and encounter, Jesus is still patiently waiting with arms wide open for us. With His help, we need
only to lift up our heads, embrace His unfailing love, and start anew.
The Lord, your God is in your midst, a warrior who gives you the victory; he will rejoice over you
with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing, as on a day of
festival (Zephaniah 3:17).
But I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you (John
16:22).
These Bible verses tell us...REJOICE!
Joy is not expressed the same way at all times in life, especially at moments of great difficulty.
However, even in the midst of the greatest distress, we all have to let the joy of faith slowly revive as a
quiet yet firm trust.
Given his encounters with the poor, the Pope shared how beautiful and natural the poor's expressions of
joy are. Despite difficulties, these people were able to preserve the faith in their hearts, resulting to the
true joy which flowed from the infinite love of God, who has revealed Himself to us in Jesus Christ.
These kinds of encounters which blossom into enriching friendships, liberate us from narrowness and
self-absorption. In such encounters is where we find our source and inspiration of all our efforts at
evangelization.

II. THE DELIGHTFUL AND COMFORTING JOY OF EVANGELIZING

By its very nature, every authentic experiences of truth and goodness seeks to grow within us. We
become sensitive to the needs of others through such experiences. But if we want to live a fulfilling
life, we have to reach out to others and seek their good.
Life grows by being given away, and it weakens in isolation and comfort. Indeed, those who enjoy life
most are those who leave security on the shore and become excited by the mission of communicating
life to others. The task of evangelization is our source of authentic personal fulfillment. It is a mission
where we offer our life to give life to others, and yet, we ourselves, do not lose it, but gain it. However,
to be a truly effective evangelizer, we must not be one filled with impatience, anxiousness, and
dejection, but that of the joy of Christ. A renewal of preaching is important that we may offer new faith
especially to those lukewarm in their beliefs.
By his coming, Christ brought with him all newness that we are able to renew our lives despite
periods of darkness. Whenever we make the effort to return to the source and to recover the original
freshness of the Gospel, new avenues arise, new paths of creativity open up, with different forms of
expression, more eloquent signs and words with new meaning for todays world.
The mission to evangelize does entail great generosity, but we must not forget that in every activity of
evangelization, the primacy always belongs to God, who has called us to cooperate with him and who
leads us on by by the power of his Spirit. It is God who loves us first and He alone gives the growth.
Such mission is not a heroic individual undertaking. Neither does it entail a kind of displacement or
forgetfulness of the living history which surrounds us and carries us forward. Memory is a dimension
of our faithsuch as the Eucharist which is a remembrance of Jesus' Passover. Grateful remembrance
is a source of the joy of evangelizing, as can be seen in countless Bible verses. And truly, the believer is
essentially one who remembers.

III. THE NEW EVANGELIZATION FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF THE FAITH

The new evangelization is a summons addressed to all, and carried out in 3 principal settings:
First, the area of ordinary pastoral ministry. It is animated by the fire of the Spirit, inflaming the hearts
of the faithful who regularly take part in community worship to be nourished by the Lord's word and by
the bread of eternal life.
Second, the area of the baptized whose lives do not reflect the demands of Baptism. It involves those
who lack a meaningful relationship to the Church and no longer experience the consolation born of
faith. They are those whom the Church extends help that they may restore the joy of faith.
Lastly, the first and foremost reason of evangelization-- preaching to those who do not know Jesus

Christ or those who have always rejected him. They too have the right to receive the Gospel and the
Christians should not exclude anyone to the 'delicious banquet'. Christians must not be impeded in
preaching the Gospel to those who are far from Christ for it is actually the first task of the Church. As
Luke 15:7 provides, Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
To effect this new phase of evangelization marked by enthusiasm and vitality, Pope Francis presented
guidelines for the Church, discussing at length the following questions:
a) the reform of the Church in her missionary outreach;
b) the temptations faced by pastoral workers;
c) the Church, understood as the entire People of God which evangelizes;
d) the homily and its preparation;
e) the inclusion of the poor in society;
f) peace and dialogue within society;
g) the spiritual motivations for mission.

CHAPTER ONE
THE CHURCH'S MISSIONARY TRANSFORMATION
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you (The missionary
mandate of Jesus as provided in Mt 28:19-20).

I. A CHURCH WHICH GOES FORTH

The Bible will show us that God challenges those who believe in Him to go forth, to go and make
disciples. As Christians, we are all called to take part in this particular challenge and mission. Being in
the mission may prove difficult, having to discern God's path and eventually, to move out of our
comfort zones. However, having to forego of the comfort zone we know, doesn't necessarily mean that
we are foregoing of a happy life. For after all, we are being called for the Gospel, the Good News of the
Lord.
The Gospel joy which enlivens the community of disciples is a missionary joy, as felt by the disciples,
the first converts, and Jesus Himself. Such joy is the sign of the Gospel being proclaimed and
consequently, bearing fruit. In Mk. 1:38, the Lord said, Let us go on to the next towns that I may
preach there also, for that is why I came out. This shows us that Jesus does not stay behind to explain
and perform more signs upon 'sowing the seed', but rather, He moves forward and goes to the next
town. This is because the Spirit moves Him and the Gospel itself speaks of a seed which, once sown,
grows by itself, even as the farmer sleeps (Mk. 4:26-29).
In keeping with this mission, the Church must preach the Gospel to all without hesitation, reluctance,
or fear. And by all people, it means that no one is excluded, as proved by the words of the angel who
appeared to the shepherds in Bethlehem, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all
the people (Lk 2:10).
In accordance with the meaning of the Church which goes forth, the Church takes the first step, is
involved and supportive, and consequently bears fruit and rejoice. The knowledge that God loved us
first, pushes us to move forward, towards those who feel like they have been forgotten and lost, and
welcome them like how God always welcomes us.
It is difficult to take the first step, but Jesus, being the perfect model, has taught us how to do it and
become involved. By the washing of the feet of His disciples, Jesus showed us what an evangelizing
community isa community which involves itself by word and deed, willing to humble itself if
necessary, to bridge distances and bring people back to God.

Being supportive is another trait of an evangelizing community. It stands by the people at every step of
the way, regardless of the difficulties it may encounter along the way. It is patient as it does not mind of
the time constraints.
It is faithful to the Lord's gift, as it bears fruit of a new life despite of unfavorable situations.
Lastly, an evangelizing community is filled with joy for it knows how to rejoice. It knows that every
victory, every step forward, whether small or big, is worthy of being celebrated.
As a conclusion, the Church evangelizes and is herself evangelized through the beauty of the liturgy,
which is both a celebration of the task of evangelization and the source of her renewed self-giving.

II. PASTORAL ACTIVITY AND CONVERSION

Mere administration in pastoral activities is no longer enough in our world nowadays. Rather, we need
to be permanently in a state of mission, devoting the necessary effort to advancing along the path of a
pastoral and missionary conversion which cannot leave things as they presently are. As Pope Paul VI
has invited us, the call to renewal must be deepened, understanding that renewal is not only for
individuals acting alone, but the entire Church.
The Church must look with penetrating eyes within herself, ponder the mystery of her own being...
This vivid and lively self-awareness inevitably leads to a comparison between the ideal image of the
Church as Christ envisaged her and loved her as his holy and spotless bride (cf. Eph 5:27) and the
actual image the Church has today. Such is the Church's heroic and impatient struggle for renewalthe
struggle to correct flaws introduced by the members themselves and which, Christ points out to her and
condemns. It should be therefore understood that every renewal of the Church is an increase of fidelity
to the summons of Christ. Every renewal is a new life, constantly driving, assessing and sustaining
ecclesial structures. And such an ecclesial renewal, must not be deferred.
It is the evangelization of today's world, rather than the Church's self-preservation, which must be the
goal. Such evangelization, as the Pope envisions, must be that of resulting from a missionary option
that missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, especially the Church's customs, so as to
make the structures more mission-oriented. As a consequence of such renewal of structures, the Church
and its ordinary pastoral activity becomes more inclusive and open, in faithful observance of Jesus'
summons.
The parish itself is not an outdated institution. It actually possesses great flexibility which it must use to
show that it is capable of self-renewal and constant adaptivity to the radical changing of times. And if
able to do so, it is truly the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters, and
not merely a useless structure filled with self-absorbed people, contrary to God's will. The parish is the

presence of the Church in a given territory and hence, in all its activities, it must encourage and train its
members to be evangelizers to become a true sanctuary for those who are thirsty. It cannot be denied
however, that the call to review and renew the parishes is not sufficient to make them completely
mission-oriented.
Other Church institutions on the other hand, such as small movements and communities, are a source of
enrichment for the Church, raised up by the Spirit to help in the duty of evangelizing. They indeed
bring new ways of experiencing evangelization and capacity for dialogue with the world, consequently
bringing about renewal in the Church. They must, however, remain in constant contact and relations
with the Church, readily available for the overall pastoral activities. They should be after all, not
nomads without roots.
It is without a doubt that the primary subject of evangelization is missionary conversion. Each
particular Church headed by bishops, being part of the Church as a whole, is equipped with all the
means of salvation bestowed by Christ, though with local features. Being the leader, the bishop must
follow the ideal of the first Christian communities wherein the believers were one of heart and soul. In
the conduct of this mission, he must guide his people keeping their hope vibrant as he emits the
merciful presence of God. To do his duties effectively, he will have to encourage and develop the
means of participation proposed in the Code of Canon Law and other forms of pastoral dialogue with
the desire to listen to everyone and not just to those who would conform to his ideals.
Pope Francis being the head and in turn, the role model of the Church, strives to be open to suggestions
to make the exercise of his ministry more faithful to the mandate and teachings of Jesus Christ
regarding evangelization. He himself admits the shortcomings of the universal Church in the
contribution of fruitful ways to the concrete realization of the collegial spirit. He further stated that
excessive centralization, rather than being helpful, actually complicated the Church's life and mission.
We have always done it this way. is not the attitude that the Church must adopt. But rather, everyone
is invited to be bold and creative in rethinking the goals, structures, style and methods of evangelization
in our respective communities. For after all, we are all part of the community, we do not walk alone,
instead, we should walk with others in a wise and realistic pastoral discernment.

III. FROM THE HEART OF THE GOSPEL

Technological advancements have evolved the means of communication and sources of information.
Nevertheless, the message ought to be preached is not safe from being construed incorrectly that some
of the Church's moral teachings become distorted. Thus, in preaching the message, we must never
assume that our audience understands the full background of the message.
Pastoral ministry should not be characterized by a disjointed transmission of a multitude of doctrines

but rather, the message to be preached must concentrate on the essentials. It must be simplified yet,
complete and thus, easier to understand which would give off a lot more convincing character.
Although all revealed truths come from the same divine source, there are more important truths which
give direct expression to the heart of the gospel. And this is the saving love of God made manifest in
Jesus Christ who died and rose from the dead. As taught by St. Thomas Aquinas, the Church's moral
teaching has its own 'hierarchy' in the virtues and the acts which proceeds from them. The greatest of
these is provided in Galatians 5:6, faith working through love. St. Thomas further explains that In
itself mercy is the greatest value of the virtues, since all the others revolve around it and, more than
this, it makes up for their deficiencies. This is particular to the superior virtue, and as such it is proper
to God to have mercy, through which his omnipotence is manifested to the greatest degree.
Despite this classification of more important virtues, still, the integrity of the Gospel must not be
deformed. For each truth, to be better understood, must be related to the harmonious totality of the
Christian message. Thus, each are important. Moreover, the Gospel is an invitation to respond to the
God of love who saves us. All these virtues are at the service of this response of love. The most
important thing to remember, considering all these, is that it is the Gospel which should be preached,
not certain doctrinal or moral points based on specific ideological options.

IV. A MISSION EMBODIED WITHIN HUMAN LIMITS

The Church, a missionary disciple herself, needs to grow in her interpretation of the revealed word and
in her understanding of truth. Fortunately, other sciences likewise help in such need. Various thoughts
in philosophy, theology and pastoral practice, if open for reconciliation by the Spirit in respect and
love, could be of great aid to the Church's growth.
The deposit of the faith is one thing... the way it is expressed is another. The greatest danger we need
to prevent is the giving of false god or a human ideal to the truths about God and humanity, although
conducted with holy intent. We must always be wary in transmitting to the people of today the Gospel
message, that only its true meaning is preached.
It is understandable that the teachings of the Church can sometimes be hard to appreciate. For faith
retains a certain obscurity which does not detract from the firmness of its assent. But despite all of
these obscurity, all religious teaching must be ultimately reflected in the teacher's way of life to awaken
the assent of the heart by its nearness, love and witness.
In its discernment, the Church may see certain customs which would no longer be properly understood
and applied for they can no longer serve as means of communicating the Gospel. These we should reexamine without fear that we may not burden the lives of the faithful, in keeping with God's mercy
which wills for our freedom.

With the foregoing, we can see that the task of evangelization operates within the limits of language
and of circumstances. A missionary heart is aware of these limits but it never closes itself off, never
retreats into its own security, never opts for rigidity and defensiveness. Rather, it knows that it has to
grow in its own understanding of the Gospel, with the help of the Spirit.

V. A MOTHER WITH AN OPEN HEART

As previously stated, a Church which goes forth is a Church whose doors are open. But it does not
mean rushing out aimlessly into the world. Rather, it should mean to slow down to be able to see and
listen to those who are lost.
Everyone can share in some way in the life of the Church, hence, the doors to the Church should not be
closed, especially those leading to the sacraments. For it is in the sacraments that we receive God's
grace. It is significant to remember that the Church is not simply a tollhouse, but the house of the
Father, where everyone is invited, although with burdens.
The Gospel shows us to whom we should go first and preach, in taking up the mission. Luke 14:14
provides that it is those who are unable to repay us, those forgotten, the poor, are the privileged
recipients of the Gospel. This proves that there is an inseparable bond between the poor and our faith.
Hence, we should never forget them.
I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than
a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security.
With all of the above-mentioned in mind, let us now go forth, and offer everyone the life of Jesus
Christ.

CHAPTER TWO
AMID THE CRISIS OF COMMUNAL COMMITMENT
The world is changing and advancing faster than we can keep up with. In todays world, we
encounter new things almost on a daily basis. The enormous and rapid advances in the fields of science
and technology, among others, are overloading us with information. It is making the task of developing
and advancing a corresponding human responsibility more perplexing. These advances pose challenges
to the work of evangelization because of their effects on the life and dignity of Gods people.
I.

Some challenges of todays world

In discussing some challenges of todays world, Pope Francis noted the issues relating to an our
economy which is becoming an economy of exclusion, with more and more people idolizing money
and with having a financial system that rules rather than one that serves. This, according to Pope
Francis, leads to inequality which spawns violence. In addition, the work of evangelization is faced
with cultural challenges, challenges that inculturate the faith and those coming from urban cultures.
While developments in the fields of healthcare, education and communications are highly
commended, we must not forget that majority of our contemporaries are barely living from day to
day. Pope Franics noted that we are currently living within an economy of exclusion where the
powerful feed the powerless, where the majority are without work, without possibilities, excluded
and marginalized. While the poor are not being exploited, they are merely considered as leftovers
whose welfare seemed to be detached and less important from the welfare of those who have the
power. People are enthusiastic about new products in the market but are indifferent towards the
needs and outcry of the less fortunate. Because of the new idolatry for money, many people have
become slaves to financial prosperity, causing apathy for other human beings. Man is reduced to
consumption and materialism. This increasing inequality and gap present in our society naturally
engenders violence as result of the context of survival of the fittest.
Over the years, there also have been deviations in the manner to which Christianity is passed
down to the younger generations and a considerable number of people, although identifying
themselves as Catholics, no longer identify themselves with the Catholic traditions. Factors which

contribute to this include the lack of proper dialogue within families, the influence of different
forms of media, uninhibited consumerism, insufficiency of care to the poor and the failure of the
religious institutions to be more welcoming. New cultures are emerging left and right and these are
challenging old customary ways of evangelization to adapt and consider changing its approach
appropriate for these changes. It is a new world with large multicultural cities with a big population
of multicultural citizens.

New narratives, ideas and paradigms are constantly formed and

proclaiming the Gospel has to keep up with our constantly evolving society. Despite these
overwhelming challenges, a Christians duty to spread the joy of the Gospel remain and is needed
realization more than ever. Amidst all the ills of our civilization, the complete sense of human life
that the Gospel proposes remains its best remedy.
II.

Temptations faced by pastoral workers

In our current globalized society, those who have committed their lives working for the church
are facing temptations that make it challenging to execute pastoral work. Pope Francis noted that
there is today an unwarranted concern for the personal freedom of and relaxation of many pastoral
workers. As a result, a heightened sense of individualism, identity crisis and a cooling of fervor can
be observed with pastoral workers, despite their solid doctrinal and spiritual convictions. Because
of marked skepticism with regard to the message of the church, paired with cynicism, may pastoral
workers develop a sort of inferiority complex which leads to their being unhappy with their mission
and ultimately, to the weakening of missionary zeal.
There is also a growing concern on how the task of evangelization is seen as a burden rather
than a joyful response to Gods love. People have become so protective of their free time that
undertaking apostolic work is seen as a dissatisfying task that curtails personal freedom. This
pastoral acedia stems from, among others, lack of spirituality, which would make pastoral work
fulfilling and pleasurable. But Pope Francis warns us about sterile pessimism - that the evils of our
world and the issues of the Church must not diminish our commitment to spread the Gospel. If we
start without confidence, we have already lost half the battle and we bury our talents.
Todays world has imposed on man mistrust and suspicion towards others. We have limited our
interpersonal relationships to the screens of our gadgets and we have isolated ourselves to the
comforts of our own privacy, forgetting about the importance of dealing with others face-to-face

and disregarding our duty to be of service to our community. By detaching ourselves from the
society, we fail to see and encounter Jesus in others and we will not be able to build relationships
that will aid us in evangelization.
Pope Francis has also warned us about warring among ourselves. Spiritual worldliness leads
some Christians to war with other Christians who stand in the way of their quest for power,
prestige, pleasure and economic security. Some are even no longer content to live as part of the
greater Church community but stoke a spirit of exclusivity, creating an inner circle. Instead of
belonging to the whole Church in all its rich variety, they belong to this or that group which thinks
itself different or special.

CHAPTER THREE
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL
As a baptized members of the Catholic Church, it is every Christians primary obligation to take
part in evangelization work. According to Pope John Paul II, if the Church is to fulfill its providential
destiny, evangelization as the joyful, patient and progressive preaching of the saving death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ must be your absolute priority. In exhorting the proclamation of the
Gospel, Pope Francis reiterated that we are all missionary disciples with abilities to spread the word of
God. He also emphasized the value of the homily, the importance of preparation for preaching and the
deeper understanding of the kerygma.
a) The entire people of God proclaims the Gospel

The good news of salvation is for everyone and in proclaiming and bringing this good news
to the world, there should be no qualification and discrimination. The Church must be a place
of mercy freely given, where everyone can feel welcomed, loved, forgiven and encouraged to
live the good life of the Gospel. In the same vein, everyone who is baptized, regardless of their
race, color, position in the society or in the Church, are considered agents of evangelization.
Regardless of our level instruction with respect to our faith, we must carry out evangelization
work if we have experienced Gods love through Jesus Christ. We need not be experts in our
religion to qualify as a missionary disciple. Today, as the Church seeks to experience a
profound missionary renewal, there is a kind of preaching which falls to each of us as a daily
responsibility. It has to do with bringing the Gospel to the people we meet, whether they be our
neighbors or complete strangers. This is the informal preaching which takes place in the middle
of a conversation, something along the lines of what a missionary does when visiting a home.
Being a disciple means being constantly ready to bring the love of Jesus to others, and this can
happen unexpectedly and in any place: on the street, in a city square, during work, on a
journey.
b) The homily

Pope Francis has expressed his concerns over the preaching of the liturgy and its

preparation. Being a constant source of renewal and growth for the faithful, there is great
importance in the homily and its delivery. According to Pope Francis, the homily cannot be a
form of entertainment like those presented by the media, yet it does need to give life and
meaning to the celebration. It is a distinctive genre, since it is preaching situated within the
framework of a liturgical celebration; hence it should be brief and avoid taking on the
semblance of a speech or a lecture. In delivering the homily, the minister must remember that
the Church is a Mother that preaches the way a mother speaks to her child. Therefore, the
homily must be attended by warmth in the preachers voice, by joy in his gestures and by
modesty in his manner of speaking. It must not be in the form of a dialogue rather than a purely
moralistic lecture on biblical exegesis.

c) Preparing to preach

Preparation for preaching is so important a task that a prolonged time of study, prayer,
reflection and pastoral creativity should be devoted to it A preacher who does not prepare is
not spiritual; he is dishonest and irresponsible with the gifts he has received. Pope Francis
laid out the importance of understanding the meaning of the texts of the Bible, given its age.
This would prevent erroneous and biased interpretations that could contradict other teachings of
the very same scripture. While preachers are not expected to be flawless, a high level of
understanding is expected from them. The preacher ought first of all to develop a great
personal familiarity with the word of God. Knowledge of its linguistic or exegetical aspects is
insufficient. They must examine themselves to see if they have grown in love for the word that
they preach and they can do this every time they prepare to preach.
More importantly, the preacher has to keep his ears and hearts open to the people. More than
understanding the word of God, he also needs to understand the needs of his people in order to
discover what they need to hear. The preacher must have the faculty to link a biblical text to a
human situation or emotion. Nevertheless, limits must be observed and the preacher must be
careful in not going overboard by talking about unrelated TV programs or trends just to awaken
the peoples interests.

d) Evangelization and the deeper understanding of the kerygma

Jesus Christ loves you; he gave his life to save you; and now he is living at your side every
day to enlighten, strengthen and free you. This first proclamation is something which we must
hear again and again in different ways, the one which we must announce one way or another
throughout the process of catechesis, at every level and moment. This proclamation calls for
our ongoing transformation and maturity with respect to our knowledge of God and our growth
in Christ. Uniform to our duty to engage on evangelization work, we must recognize the need
for ourselves to be continually in need of being evangelized. All Christian formation consists of
entering more deeply into the kerygma. It has to express Gods saving love which precedes
any moral and religious obligation on our part; it should not impose the truth but appeal to
freedom; it should be marked by joy, encouragement, liveliness and a harmonious balance
which will not reduce preaching to a few doctrines which are at times more philosophical than
evangelical. All this demands on the part of the evangelizer certain attitudes which foster
openness to the message: approachability, readiness for dialogue, patience, a warmth and
welcome which is non-judgmental.
Evangelization requires that we are familiar with Gods word; hence, an ongoing study of
the Bible is necessary. Everything that we need to know has already been laid out in the
Scriptures. Being in the receiving end, it is up to us to receive the sublime treasure of the
revealed word.

CHAPTER FOUR
THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF EVANGELIZATION
Any partial or fragmentary definition which attempts to render the reality of evangelization in all its
richness, complexity and dynamism does so only at the risk of impoverishing it and even of distorting
it.
I.COMMUNAL AND SOCIETAL REPERCUSSIONS OF THE KERYGMA
The kerygma has a clear social content: at the very heart of the Gospel is life in community and
engagement with others. The content of the first proclamation has an immediate moral implication
centered on charity.
Our Faith in the Trinity gives us redemption which has a social dimension for God, in Christ, redeems
not only the individual person, but also the social relations existing between men. The Holy Spirit
knows how to loosen the knots of human affairs, and evangelization is an arm in the works of the
Spirit. That is the very mystery of the Trinity, we cannot be saved by our own efforts. We must accept
Gods love and to love him in return with the very love which is his gift. Which then brings forth a
response to desire, seek and protect the good of others.
The message of the Gospel is one which we often take for granted. This appears to be fatal in our life,
for we could lose our amazement, excitement and zeal for living the Gospel of fraternity and justice.
Many verses in the Bible teach us the ways of how we treat our brothers and sisters, some of these are
Matthew 25:40, Matthew 7:2 and Luke 6:36-38. These passages made clear the importance of going
forth from ourselves towards our brothers and sisters. By this, service of charity is a constituent
element of Churchs mission.
The Kingdom and Its Challenge
The Gospel is not just about our personal relationship with God. It is also about the kingdom of God.
We are all seeking Gods kingdom. And it was Jesus mission to inaugurate the kingdom of his father.
The kingdom that is already here must be directed to all men and the whole man. This is the principle
of universality intrinsic to the Gospel that salvation is for everyone. For the Bible didnt qualify.
Religion should not be restricted to the private sphere, that it only exists to prepare souls for heaven.
God designed the world for us to enjoy, though we are called to fulfilment in eternity. Consequently, no
one then can demand that religion should only focus to personal lives, without influencing the societal
and national life. For an authentic faith always involves a deep desire to change the world and to
transmit values. The earth is our common home, it is only natural for us to love and protect it and not
just sit on the sidelines. All Christians are called to show concern for the building of a better world.

II.

THE INCLUSION OF THE POOR IN SOCIETY

We are all called to be an instrument of God in helping the poor, meaning we must be attentive to their
cries. We cannot turn a deaf ear to their pleas, for this could directly affect our relationship with Christ.

The old question always returns: How does Gods love abide in anyone who has the worlds goods,
and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help? (1 John 3:17) It is an act of grace and not a
mission to few, the need to heed this plea. Jesus himself has commanded his disciples to eliminate the
structural causes of poverty and to promote the integral development of the poor, as well as small daily
acts of solidarity in meeting the real needs which we encounter. These convictions and habits of
solidarity opens the way to other structural transformations and make them possible.
Peace is founded not only on respect for human rights, but also on respect for the rights of peoples.
This planet belongs to all mankind and is meant for all mankind. Regardless of your race or status in
life, you are dignified. The Pope calls for our dreams to soar higher, that we must not be limited only to
nourishment of dignified sustenance, but also the general temporal welfare and prosperity.
The Pope tells us to listen to what does the Bible says. In the book of Matthew, it is written that blessed
are the merciful, because they shall obtain mercy. While in the book of James, apostle James teaches us
that our mercy to others will vindicate us on the day of Gods judgement. One of the concrete exercise
of mercy towards those in need is almsgiving, which is well expressed in the book of Sirach and on 1
Peter of the new testament. The church urges us to accept these exhortations with courage and zeal.
And that we must not be concerned simply about falling into doctrinal error, but about remaining
faithful to this light-filled path of life and wisdom.
The principle that Saint Paul had parted to us in Galatians, namely that the Pauline communities should
not succumb to the self-centered lifestyle of pagans remains timely today.
The Special Place of the Poor in Gods People
Blessed are you poor, yours is the kingdom of God. (Luke 6:20) The entire history of our redemption
is marked by the presence of poor, that even the Saviour himself became poor. He was born in a
manger and was raised in a home of ordinary workers. God have shown the poor his first mercy, and as
Christians we are called to be in likeness with God. As Pope Benedict XVI has taught- is implicit in
our Christian faith in a God who became poor for us, so as to enrich us with poverty. This is why the
Pope wants a Church which is poor and for the poor.
The loving attentiveness that the Holy Spirit mobilizes us with is the beginning of a true concern for
their person which inspires the Pope to seek their good. It is only through love that we can properly
accompany the poor on their path of liberation.
As an exhortation addressed to the members of the Catholic Church, the Pope, with regret, says that the
worst discrimination which the poor suffer is the lack of spiritual care. No one must say that they
cannot be close to the poor because their own lifestyle demands more attention to other areas.
The structural cause of poverty must be resolve, for the society needs to be cured of a sickness that may
only lead to a new crisis. Inequality is the root of social ills.
The dignity of a person and the pursuit of common good ought to shape all economic policies. Business
is a noble vocation, if only those engaged in it see themselves challenged by a greater meaning in life.
The Pope is far from proposing an irresponsible populism, but the economy can no longer turn to
remedies that are a new poison, such as attempting to increase profits by reducing the work force and
thereby adding to the ranks of the excluded.
The growth of justice cannot solely lie to economic growth which is controlled by unforeseen forces.

There must be decisions, programmes, mechanisms and processes that are specifically geared for a
better distribution of income. Politics is one of the highest forms of charity. The Pope begs the Lord to
grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people and the lives of
the poor. They must ask God to inspire their plans.
Economy is the art of achieving a fitting management of our common home, the world. We need more
efficient way of interacting which ensures the economic well-being of all countries in orde to achieve a
healthy world economy.
We must also develop a deep concern for the vulnerable for we are called to recognize the suffering of
Christ. As a pastor of Church without frontiers, the Pope exhorts all countries to a generous openness
that is capable of creating new forms of cultural synthesis.
The Pope have always been distressed at the lot of those who are victims of various kinds of human
trafficking, doubly are those women who endure situations of exclusion, mistreatment and violence,
and the unborn children who are the most defenceless and innocent among us. The defense of unborn
life is closely linked to the defense of each and every other human right. It involves the conviction that
a human being is always sacred and inviolable.
There are still other weak and defenceless that are frequently at the mercy of economic interests or
indiscriminate exploitation. The Pope speaks of the creation as a whole, we must be stewards of each
other.
III.

THE COMMON GOOD AND PEACE IN SOCIETY

Peace in society is not just the absence of violence nor as a pretext for justifying social structure which
silences or appeases the poor. The dignity and common good of a person ranks higher than the comfort
of those who refuse to renounce their privileges. In the end, a peace that is not a result of integral
development will be doomed.
People in every nation must be a responsible citizen. This is an on-going process which every new
generation must take part. The progress in building a people in peace, justice and fraternity depends on
four principles that were derived from the pillars of the Churchs social doctrine.
The Pope gives forth these four specific principles that could guide the development of life in society.
e)
f)
g)
h)

Time is greater than space

Unity prevails over conflict
Realities are more important than ideas
The whole is greater than the part

Time is Greater Than Space

This has to do with the fullness as an expression of the horizon that is before us. This principle enables

us to be more effective in our works by not being obsessed with immediate results. One of the faults the
Pope have observed is that spaces and power are preferred to time and processes. This means madly
attempting to keep everything together in the present, rather than being concerned about initiating
processes.
Unity Prevails Over Conflict
Conflict must be faced for us not to lose our perspective. This is the best way to deal with conflict, to
face it head on. This makes possible the development of communion despite the disagreement. The sign
of this unity and reconciliation of all things in Him is peace, for Christ is our peace. (Ephesians 2:14)
Peace has become possible for Christ have overcome the world. It is now then incumbent upon us to
radiate this inner peace God have brought us. And the unity that is brought to us by the Spirit can
harmonize every diversity.
Realities Are More Important Than Ideas
Realities simply are, while ideas are worked out. These two must come hand in hand together, so as
where the third principle comes into play. This results to the rejection of masking reality. Ideas that are
disconnected from realities give rise to ineffectual forms of idealism and nominalism. Some politicians
and even religious leaders often falls for this, they are stuck in the realm of ideas and end up reducing
politics or faith into rhetoric. Realities are still greater than ideas.
The Whole Is Greater Than The Part
We must broaden our horizons to see the benefit of the many without having to be detached in our
locality. We can work on a small scale but with a larger perspective. Our model here is a polyhedron
that reflects the convergence of all its part. This principle also evokes the totality or integrity of the
Gospel which the Church passes down to us and sends us forth to proclaim. The Gospel has an intrinsic
principle of reality.
IV.
SOCIAL DIALOGUE AS A CONTRIBUTION TO PEACE
Evangelization involves the path of dialogues in order to promote full human development and to
pursue the common good. The Church speaks from the light which faith offers, and this light
transcends human reason. Dialogues are about agreeing to live together, a social and cultural pact.
Faith is not fearful of reason, but it actually seeks trust and reason. In its dialogue between science and
faith, the Church calls for a synthesis between empirical sciences, philosophy, theology as well as faith
itself. This dialogue opens up new horizons for thought and expands the possibilities of reason that also
leads to a path of harmony and peace. The Church rejoices and even delights in acknowledging the
enormous potential that God has blessed the mankind.
They may all be one. ( John 17:21) As a respond to this prayer of the Lord Jesus we must commit to
ecumenism. We must put aside all of our suspicions and instead trust our fellow pilgrims. Trusting

others is an art and peace is an art. Blessed are the peacemakers. ( Matthew 5:9) The call for unity
becomes more urgent in continents of Asia and Africa where missionaries mention the criticisms,
complaints and ridicule. The immense numbers of people who have not received the Gospel cannot
leave us indifferent. It is an indispensable path in evangelization to lead these people in accepting
Christ and to receive the gift of Spirit.
As Christians, we cannot consider Judaism as a foreign religion; nor do we include the Jews among
those called to turn from idols and to serve the true God. With them, The Pope calls us to believe in one
God who acts in history, and with them we accept his revealed word.
Our dialogues with the followers of non-Christian religion must be characterized with an attitude of
openness in truth and in love. Interreligious dialogue is necessary to bring world peace, and it is our
duty as Christians. This dialogue is about being open to them, sharing their joys and sorrows. True
openness involves steadfastness in ones belief while being open to understanding the others knowing
that they could both enrich each side. Evangelization and interreligious dialogue mutually support and
nourish each other.
Respect for religious freedom is a fundamental human right. A healthy pluralism is one that respects
and values differences and does not entail privatizing religions in an attempt to reduce them to quiet
obscurity of ones conscience or to relegate them to enclosed precincts of churches, synagogues or
mosques. As believers, we feel close to those who do not consider themselves as part of any religious
traditions, they are our allies in defending dignity and building peaceful coexistence. Our encounters
with non-believers, is also a path to peace in our troubled world.

CHAPTER FIVE
SPIRIT-FILLED EVANGELIZERS
Spirit-filled evangelizers are those fearlessly open to the working of the Holy Spirit. At Pentecost the
Spirit descended among the apostles enabling them to speak in different language. It has also granted
upon them the boldness to share the Gospel.
In this final chapter, the Pope does not intend to offer a synthesis of Christian spirituality, but simply to
offer some thoughts about the spirit of the new evangelization. The Pope had realized that no words of
encouragement will be enough unless the fire of Holy Spirit burns in our hearts.
I.

REASONS FOR A RENEWED MISSIONARY IMPULSE

Spirit-filled evangelizers are evangelizers who pray and work. It is through prolonged moments of
adoration, of prayerful encounter with the Word, and sincere conversation with God that helps us give
meaning to our works. And it also helps in keeping the fire burning within us. There is always the risk
that some moments of prayer can become an excuse for not offering ones life in a mission; a privatize
lifestyle can lead Christians to take refuge in some false norms of spirituality. Do not console
yourselves by saying that things are different now than before. The Roman Empire was not also
conducive for the Gospel message. Every period of history is marked with self-centred temptations that
preys upon us all.
It is because of the love of Jesus that we evangelize. This overflowing abundant love that Lord Jesus
have shown us in the cross is what fills us now to share the word, and that others may receive the
salvation we have received. This same love also makes us realize that we have been entrusted with a
treasure that we can give to others.
Jesus is the only one that people needs, even though they may not recognize it. We must succeed in
expressing the essential content of the Gospel, friendship with Jesus and love for others. Enthusiasm
for evangelization is based on this conviction. We have a treasure of life and love which cannot
deceive, and a message which cannot mislead or disappoint.
We must constantly renew this experience of savouring Christs friendship and His message. In order to
persevere we must acknowledge the difference of living life with Him and apart from Him. A true
missionary, who never ceases to be a disciple, knows that God is with Him. Unless we see Him as
present at the heart of our missionary commitment, our enthusiasm will soon wane.
In union with Jesus, we seek what He seeks and we love what He loves. If we are missionaries it is
because Jesus had called us so. We evangelize not because of our personal interests but rather for the
greater glory of the Father who loves us.
Mission is not just a passion for Jesus but also passion for His people. If we look closely, we could see
that Jesus died at the cross burning with love for all people. He had called us to reach out for His
people. Jesus himself is our model to this method of evangelization. In Mark 10:21 it is said that
Jesus, looking upon him, loved him. His life on earth has shown how he became so close with his

people, reaching for the sick and sinners. The Lord hopes that we enter into reality of other peoples
lives and know the power of tenderness.
Jesus does not want us to be grandees who look down upon others, but men and women of the people.
In loving others, we are drawn closer in our union with God. It is upon opening ourselves with other
that we know God in a different way. If we want to advance in the spiritual life, then, we must
constantly be missionaries. This work enriches us as persons, it opens up spiritual horizons and it takes
us beyond our limited spiritual constructs. It is also written in Acts 20:35, that it is more blessed to give
than to receive.
The Popes mission on being in the heart of the people is not just a part of his life or a badge he can
take off. Instead, it is something he cannot uproot from his being without destroying his very self.
If we are in this mission, we must realize that everyone is worthy of giving. We are all made in the
likeness of God, and Jesus died in the cross to atone for the sin of everyone.
The Mysterious Working of the Risen Christ and His Spirit
The attitude of asking Why should I deny myself of comforts and pleasures if I wont see any
significant result? makes it impossible to be a missionary. We must remember that God had already
triumphed over death and sin, so that we wont be hopeless. Our preaching is not in vain. Christs
resurrection is not an event of the past, but it is an irresistible force that continues on 2,000 years later.
Faith is not just believing in God, but also believing that he is alive and truly loves us. Let us believe in
the Gospel when it tells us that the kingdom of God is already present in this world.
The certainty we have that God works though we cannot see is often called a sense of mystery. It is
knowing that all those who entrust themselves to the Lord will bear good fruit. More often, fruitfulness
is invisible to us, but we have our confident in God that all of our works, pain and sacrifices are not in
vain. Mission is not like a business transaction, it escapes all measurement. Let us learn to surrender
everything to Christ. For the Spirit works as he wills, when he will and where he wills.

The prayer of intercession moves us particularly to take up the task of evangelization and to seek the
good of others. It is a prayer of gratitude since it is constantly thankful. It is the gratitude which flows
from a heart that is attentive to others. Intercession is like a leaven in the heart of Trinity. It shows us
the Fathers heart, shedding light on concrete situations and change them.
II.

MARY, MOTHER OF EVANGELIZATION

With the Holy Spirit, Mary is always present in the midst of the people. She joined the disciples in

praying for the coming of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:14)

Jesus Gift to His People
The words of Jesus to Mary when he was in at the cross, Woman, here is your son, are not chiefly the
expression of his concern for His mother, but a revelatory formula which manifests the mystery of a
special saving mission. Jesus left us His mother to be our mother. He brought us to her for he did not
want us to journey without a mother. Mary is the woman that turned a stable home for Jesus, an
abundance of love, a friend who is ever concerned, a woman that understands all our pain. She is the
missionary that draws near to us. She is our great companion and a constant reminder of Gods love.
Star of the New Evangelization
The Pope asks us to look at Mary and ask her to help us proclaim the message of salvation to all and
enable new disciples to become evangelizers in turn. The fatigue and darkness well experience along
the way, Mary had experienced them herself. There is a Marian style to the Churchs work of
evangelization. When we look to her, we see that humility and tenderness are not virtues of the weak,
but of the strong who need not treat others poorly in order to feel important themselves. Mary is able to
recognize the traces of Gods Spirit in events great and small. The interplay of justice and tenderness is
what makes the ecclesial community look to Mary as a model of evangelization.
Behold, I make all things new. (Revelations 21:5) With Mary we advance confidently towards the
fulfilment of this promise.