"Since John Paul II coined the phrase, the call to the 'New Evangelization' has resounded across the Church universal. Every single Catholic, declared Vatican II, is called to evangelize.
"Many find this more than a little intimidating. So must we go door to door with Bible in one hand and rosary in the other? Must we become expert theologians, demonstrating from reason, scripture and history why Catholic doctrine is true?
"If these were the requirements, the call to evangelize could not possibly be a universal one. But if we examine the Scriptures, we don't find the Lord telling us 'you will be my theologians.' Instead he says 'you will be my witnesses.' (Acts 1:8)
"Many Catholics, hearing this, are immediately relieved. 'That’s right. I'll be a silent witness. That's more my style. People will just see my actions and learn about my faith that way.'
"Not so fast. A witness is called to the stand to give testimony. And that means to speak. Of course, the attorney who calls up the witness will try to demonstrate that the witness is honest, competent, and credible. If the judge and jury don't believe in the integrity of the witness, they won't put much stock in his or her testimony. But it is verbal testimony that is crucial to the case.
"Note this, however. The essence of testimony is a sincere sharing of personal experience – something that the witness has seen or heard that is pertinent to the case."
In a recent commentary, Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio reflected on the call of each Christian to be part of the New Evangelization.
To access Dr. D'Ambrosio's complete post, please visit:
The Crossroads Initiative: Bearing Witness: Cornerstone of the New Evangelization
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