“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” –Mark 16:15
Our pastor’s recent homilies come to mind as I write this. On Good Shepherd Sunday (4/22), he talked of Jesus’ great love and concern for each of us. He spelled out three big things that our faith is about: the Eucharist, care for the poor, and evangelization. As we seek and nurture a personal relationship with Christ, we experience joy in the peace and knowledge that God will care for us. It’s natural to then want to share that joy with others. As we have been invited to meet the Lord, Christ also wants others to encounter him in a personal way—through us.
On Sunday 4/29 (“I am the vine, you are the branches.” –John 15:5), my pastor said that as vines connected to the branch, our life source, who is Jesus Christ, we have a mission to help connect others to Jesus. Through the Eucharist, Christ feeds and nourishes us not only for ourselves but also that we have the strength to go forth and bear fruit. The fruit that God want us to bear is new disciples for him, connecting others to him through their relationship with us. We have this power in us. We have this call from the Lord.
As catechists and religion teachers, you have responded generously to this call to evangelize, to share the Good News of God’s great love with the children in your care. We might think of these children as some of the “poor” for whom we are also called to care. Whether they are “poor” in the way we may typically think, they may lack good and faithful role models of Christian living. They may lack relationships and experiences that tell them they are valued and treasured by God and others. They may lack regular experiences outside of your classroom that teach them Catholic practices, especially the celebration of the Mass.
As our Gospel Weeklies program comes to its completion this Sunday*, we thank all catechists and religion teachers for your faithful efforts in this past program-school year. We encourage you to use the coming summer months to strengthen your personal relationship with Christ through daily prayer and regular participation in Sunday Mass. We will keep you and your students in prayer and suggest that you include both your current students and those you will meet this fall in your daily prayers. Your witness and care help make our team’s efforts more meaningful—and are a vital part of our Church’s efforts to share the Good News who is Jesus Christ.
* May 13 is the last lesson of the 2017–18 year of the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies. If your classes continue beyond that Sunday, there are free Late Close Lessons at each level that include general lessons on the parables and Creation, as well as one for Pentecost. They are available for Seeds, Promise, Good News, Venture, and Visions. You will note that the first Late Close lesson online is marked as Lesson 2. This is because Lesson 1 is for the Ascension, which was the final lesson in this year’s Gospel Weeklies. Those who have purchased the Activity Books will find three additional Late Close Lessons for each level there as well.
Image credit: Corinne SIMON/CIRIC
