Evangelizing the Passion of the Christ

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST

Last week, I was reading an excellent new blog posting by Jimmy Akin ( JIMMY AKIN.ORG ) about the priests' duty to call on parishioners to evangelize.  When one thinks of evangelizing, one probably does not first think of a Catholic; maybe a Southern Baptist or a Pentecostal or a Jehovah's Witness or a Mormon...but not generally a Catholic.  We fall short in trying to spread the Good News of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Why is this?  Why are we shy to speak about Jesus' saving grace?  Why should we not ask a friend, coworker, neighbor, family member, or a fallen away Catholic to come to Mass with us?  Jesus established His Church over 2000 years ago.  He founded it with Peter, our first Pope.  It is through His church that we find Him, our Savior.

Two days after reading the blog, my oldest son and I went to see the 8th grade reenact the Stations of the Cross.  We mostly went to see some old friends, as my son had graduated from that school just last year, as well as getting me out of the house with the baby for an hour or so.  What I didn't plan on was how the reenactment of the Passion by a group of 8th graders moved me.  My mind kept wandering to scenes from the movie, "The Passion of the Christ."  I identify so much with Mary as a mother of a son.  I still have great difficulty watching certain scenes from that movie in which Mary is portrayed.  Her pain is unfathomable to me.  I cannot imagine watching my beautiful son that I carried in my womb and nursed and raised and loved be crucified...humiliated, beaten, and crucified.

Those who were closest to Jesus were so passionate about spreading His story - the story of his life, death, and resurrection.  They were so passionate, in fact, that they were willing to lay down their life for it without hesitation.  They actually considered it an honor to do so.  My pastor spoke today about having that passion within us - being passionate about our Lord.  Jimmy Akin would have been proud of him.  Even though he did not specifically tell us to go and evangelize, what better way for him to evangelize to us than to speak with such fire and conviction - at times yelling with PASSION!

So I began to think about the blog, the stations, the homily, the Passion, and I wondered how much better would we be as Catholics if we had witnessed the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ?  How would our lives be different?  How much would you really care about the traffic, the weather, your emails, your looks, politics, or differences of opinions?  What would you be doing differently?  How passionately would you be out every day trying to spread the Good News?  Wouldn't you spend every waking hour thinking of Jesus and what he had done for you?  Wouldn't you miss Him and pray for His return?  Wouldn't you worry for all the souls who saw and did not believe?  Wouldn't you worry for all the souls who never saw and didn't know?  Wouldn't you be trying to tell them every detail?  And wouldn't you be doing it passionately?  As Catholics, we are called to believe without seeing.  It is our duty to spread the news that God sent His only Son to earth to save us from sin...that He loves us so much that He suffered and died for us so that we may have eternal life with Him.  We begin Holy week now.  Now is our chance to turn all of our attention to the one who was sent for us.  Easter is coming.  It is the day we are finally allowed to say once again, "Hallelujah!"  Spread the Good News as if you have seen, and be passionate about our Christ - He is passionate about you!

"Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them.  The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, 'Peace be with you.'  Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.'  Thomas answered him, 'My Lord and my God!'  Jesus said to him, 'You have believed because you have seen me.  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.' "   -John 20:26-29