1 John 1:1-4
Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12
John 20:1-8
View Readings
WHY EVANGELIZE?
"...so that you may share life with us." —1 John 1:3
One would think St. John the Apostle shared his Gospel so that his hearers would believe in Jesus the Messiah. After all, he testified that this was why he wrote his Gospel (Jn 20:31). Yet John also writes that he testifies to Jesus so that his readers might share fellowship with his own community. The members of John’s community share fellowship with God the Father and God the Son (1 Jn 1:3). Knowing that his readers could experience such communal fellowship would make John’s joy complete (1 Jn 1:4).
This is God’s viewpoint. God greatly desires to have fellowship with us, even to the point of inviting us to share eternal life with Him (Jn 3:16). Jesus spread the Gospel to many, all the while greatly desiring to share the table fellowship of the Eucharistic meal with us (Lk 22:15).
As good as it is to spread the Gospel, it’s also good to want others to share life and fellowship with us (Acts 2:42; 1 Jn 1:3). St. John the Apostle learned this lesson personally. John didn’t want to share fellowship with Samaritans (Lk 9:52-54); he wanted to incinerate them! Jesus corrected him immediately (Lk 9:55). After Pentecost, John actually went to Samaria to pray with these same Samaritans so they could receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17).
We also need to learn John’s lesson. Are there people whom you would like to become believers, but only if they keep their distance from you? Ask the Lord for the grace to love these people as He does.
Prayer: Father, purify my motives so that I may spread Your Good News in the same manner as St. John did.
Promise: "He saw and believed." —Jn 20:8
Praise: St. John wrote: "God is Love" (1 Jn 4:8, 16).
(This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant the "Nihil Obstat" ("Permission to Publish") for "One Bread, One Body."
"In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from December 1, 2024, through January 31, 2025. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio May 15, 2024"
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
You can find One Bread, One Body archives, the letter to readers, OBOB eBook edition, and an online donation form at http://www.presentationministries.com/series/obob
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright ©
To add your e-mail address to this list go to https://www.presentationministries.com/subscribe/email
To remove your e-mail address from this list, click here..
No comments:
Post a Comment