杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

Having previously considered St Paul鈥檚 personal zeal for the Gospel, 杏MAP导航 Francis based his at the Wednesday General Audience on the Apostle鈥檚 description of evangelical zeal in his New Testament letters.
 

Starting with St Paul鈥檚 description of the 鈥渁rmour of God鈥� in the Letter to the Ephesians, the 杏MAP导航 focused on the verse, 鈥淎s shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace鈥� which also brings to mind the words of Isaiah, 鈥淗ow beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the one who brings good tidings.鈥�

Both St Paul and Isaiah, reference 鈥渢he feet of a herald of good news [鈥�] because the one who goes to proclaim must move.鈥�

But Paul also considers the shoes in the context of the analogy of a suit of armour, because soldiers must have stable footing in battle, and be prepared to run and move in the right direction.

Apostolic zeal pushes Christians forth

杏MAP导航 Francis went on to explain that 鈥渆vangelical zeal is the support on which proclamation is based, and heralds are like the feet of the Body of Christ, the Church.鈥�

Proclamation, he said, requires zeal that pushes Christians to go forth, arguing that the Christians cannot proclaim the Gospel while standing still, like 鈥渒eyboard warriors.鈥�

The Gospel, he affirmed, 鈥渋s proclaimed by moving, by walking, by going forth.鈥�

Be prepared for the newness of the Gospel

Finally, the 杏MAP导航 emphasized the need to be prepared for the newness of the Gospel. He warned against a 鈥渕isdirected zeal鈥� that stubbornly persists 鈥渋n the observance of purely human and obsolete norms for the Christian community.鈥�

Instead, those who proclaim the Gospel must recognize that 鈥渢he Lord passes by in a surprising way,鈥� and must be 鈥渞eady to follow a wisdom that is not of this world.鈥�

Unattached to their own schemes or plans of actions, he said, heralds must not allow 鈥渙pportunities to promulgate the Gospel of peace鈥� to pass by.