杏MAP导航 at Audience: Preach God鈥檚 nearness with our meekness
By Devin Watkins
杏MAP导航 Francis continued his catechesis series on the passion of evangelizing鈥攁postolic zeal鈥攁t the Wednesday General Audience.
He reflected on the 鈥渕issionary discourse鈥� which Jesus gave to His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew (10:7-16) soon after He called them.
Coming or going?
The 杏MAP导航 noted that Jesus called the 12 Apostles 鈥渟o that they might be with Him and He might send them out to preach.鈥�
He pointed to the dual action of 鈥渂eing with鈥� and 鈥済oing out鈥� in Jesus鈥� call, saying Christian missionary activity begins with the encounter with Christ and moves outward.
He added that Jesus sends His disciples out soon after calling them, which shows that missionary experience is an integral part of Christian formation.
God鈥檚 freely-given love
杏MAP导航 Francis went on to reflect on three aspects of the Christian proclamation: why, what, and how to proclaim.
Jesus, he said, lays out the 鈥渨hy鈥� in a few succinct words: 鈥淔reely you have received, freely give.鈥�
God鈥檚 freely given love fills us and we are naturally impelled to share that love with others, said the 杏MAP导航.
Nearness of God
He noted that the 鈥渨hat鈥� of our proclamation has to do with the nearness of the kingdom of heaven.
The most important aspect of preaching, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, is that 鈥淕od is near鈥�.
The 杏MAP导航 said the Christian proclamation must give God the first place, while we allow ourselves to be molded by His love and action.
Meekness in preaching
杏MAP导航 Francis then spoke at length about 鈥渉ow鈥� to proclaim, which he noted formed the lengthier part of Jesus鈥� own missionary discourse.
Jesus, added the 杏MAP导航, never asks us to face the wolves with counter arguments or well-prepared defenses of the faith.
Rather, Jesus tells His disciples to be 鈥渕eek and innocent, willing to sacrifice鈥�.
And He will in turn protect His lambs from the wolves, but only if they remain meek as lambs.
Missionary unity
In conclusion, 杏MAP导航 Francis noted that Jesus says to go out on mission together without any material provisions or worldliness, trusting only in God鈥檚 Providence.
鈥淭he apostolic Church is completely missionary, and it finds its unity in the mission,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o: go forth, meek and good as lambs, without worldliness, together.鈥�
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