The account of the Commissioning of the Apostles in Matthew is used as the gospel reading for Ascension Sunday (Year A). Read the article "Make Disciples of All Nations" and use the following for your reflection.
1. The words of the commissioning of the disciples are framed by two assertions of Jesus: about his authority, and his promise to be with his disciples until the close of the ages.
Reflect. The work of the Church though fraught with difficulties is guaranteed by Christ's words. His is the authority behind it, and His presence accompanies it.
- How do you assess your community of faith's work of evangelizing? How is it contributing to the mandate of "making disciples"?
- What particular area of "making disciples" do you think needs to be strengthened? What kind of resources do you need for it? How do you plan to raise those resources?
2. The work of "making disciples" does not only include "baptizing"; it also includes "teaching", an area where even the laity alongside those with the charism of teaching (the priesthood) can contribute.
Reflect. In Evangelii Nuntiandi, Paul VI distinguished three stages in evangelization: the silent-witnessing stage, the verbal stage, and the forming-witnesses stage. In all these stages, one somehow teaches, but it is in the verbal stage and the forming-witnesses stage where teaching becomes more pronounced. Paul VI said that ALL the baptized should gradually find themselves involved in those three stages of evangelization.
- Based on Evangelii Nuntiandi, in which stage of evangelization are you?
- How do you assess what you are doing in that stage of evangelization? How do you think can your "performance" in that stage be improved?
3. The Lord promised to be with His disciples as they do the work of evangelization until the close of the ages.
Reflect. The invisible but ever-present Lord accompanies His Church in the work of making disciples. As a Christian you share in the work of evangelization, of making disciples. In any work that involves a team, communication is of utmost importance. There is breakdown in execution when someone fails to communicate.
- We communicate with the Lord -- the Head Evangelizer -- through prayer. How do you "perform" in this aspect of your work as evangelizer?
Reflect. The Lord has set up an organizational hierarchy to keep the the Church united in its task of evangelization: first the apostles and all the rest (even priests) united around their bishops, the successor of the apostles. The bond that unites them is charity. "Teamwork" in the Church depends on the cultivation of this bond.
- How do you cultivate this bond with your bishop and the priest he has designated to care over you?
