Hello Everyone,

I just wanted to post this great quote from Pope Benedict XVI on evangelization.  I thought it was timely seeing how this is our topic of the month as well as the current Family Formation home lesson for this week.

“We cannot remain tranquil in face of the thought that, after two thousand years, there are still peoples who do not know Christ and have not yet heard his message of salvation.

Not only this; the multitude grows of those that, even having received the proclamation of the Gospel, have forgotten and abandoned it, not recognizing themselves now in the Church; and many environments, also in traditionally Christian societies, today are refractory in opening themselves to the word of faith. Underway is a cultural change, fueled also by globalization, by movements of thought and by the prevailing relativism, a change that leads to a mentality and a lifestyle that does without the evangelical message, as if God did not exist, and which exalts the search for well-being, easy earnings, careers and success as the objective of life, even at the cost of moral values….The Gospel is not an exclusive good of the one who has received it, but is a gift to be shared, good news to communicate. And this gift-commitment is entrusted not only to a few, but to all the baptized…”
Pope’s Message for World Mission Sunday 1-25-11

Our job is to evangelize, most especially our spouses and our children.  This is hard sometimes but Christ is calling us to do it.  We should take time to consider the fact that we stand in the line of countless people who suffered and died just so that we could have the Catholic faith today.  The little sufferings that most of us will endure in life seem like nothing in comparison to the saints and martyrs.  Most of us are not called to evangelization unto death.  Since that is the case, our minor problems and difficulties should be put in perspective.  Let’s honor God and spread His Good News to all those around us, especially those closest to us, both in word and deeds.

Yours in Christ,

Matthew Brounstein