In our journey of faith formation, much emphasis is rightly placed on the foundational commandments of Christ:

1. The Great Commandment
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)

2. The New Commandment
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34)

These commandments shape our personal and communal lives as Christians. We learn about them, speak of them, and strive to live them out. However, there is another essential commandment — often overlooked — that must also become part of our daily discipleship:

3. The Great Commission
“Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)

This was no casual instruction. These were Christ’s final words before His Ascension — His last will and testament. They were spoken with divine authority, communicated with a universal mission, and accompanied by a profound promise: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

If we ignore this command, we risk turning the Great Commission into the Great Omission. As St. Paul warns, “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel” (1 Cor 9:16).

Faith Meant to Be Shared

Faith is not a private possession. It is a gift to be given, not hoarded. As Evangelii Nuntiandi reminds us:

“The Church is born of the evangelizing activity of Jesus and the Twelve… Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations.” (EN 15)

From Pentecost onward, the Church has grown through evangelizing activity, and she exists precisely to evangelize (EN 14). You and I are part of that same Church. The faith we have received must now be handed on — this is the very heart of evangelization.

Disciples Making Disciples

Jesus’ strategy was simple but powerful: one disciple makes another. But we cannot transmit what we have not personally encountered and lived. Our effectiveness as evangelizers depends on our own experience of Christ. As Lumen Gentium puts it:

“If the transmission of faith does not take place, it is likely that one has not truly experienced Christ.” (cf. LM 12)

The first and most effective method of evangelization is the witness of a Christian life. Evangelii Nuntiandi expresses it beautifully:

“Through this wordless witness, Christians stir up irresistible questions in the hearts of those who see how they live… This silent witness is already a powerful and effective proclamation.” (EN 20)

Or, as Pope Paul VI famously said:

“Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are also witnesses.” (EN 41)

But this witness by life must eventually lead to witness by word. As EN 22 affirms, there is no true evangelization without the explicit proclamation of Jesus — His name, teaching, life, promises, and mystery.

Heart Speaks to Heart

Evangelization is not a marketing campaign; it’s a heart-to-heart encounter. One heart, filled with Christ, offering Him to another. That is how the Samaritan woman was transformed. That is how Zacchaeus changed. That is how Nicodemus was drawn in.

We, too, must not miss the daily opportunities the Lord gives us to share His Good News — at home, in conversations, at work, or even online. Evangelization is not just a duty; it is a response to love.

Everyone’s Mission, Not Just a Few

For too long, evangelization was seen as the domain of priests, missionaries, or religious orders. But after Vatican II, the Church reaffirmed that the entire People of God is called to evangelize.

“Those who have come into genuine contact with Christ cannot keep Him for themselves; they must proclaim Him.” (CL 34)

Evangelization now includes not only those who do not know Christ but also:

• Nominal Christians who no longer live their faith

• Lapsed Catholics who have left the Church

• Baptized but unconverted individuals

• Those who know of Christ but do not personally know Him

Our mission field is vast — and it begins in our own homes, parishes, and communities.

Evangelization in Action: Learning from Jesus

Mark 1:21–38 gives us a remarkable snapshot of a day in Jesus’ ministry:

• In the synagogue: He teaches and heals.

• In the home of friends: He continues His healing.

• At the town gate: He encounters the crowds.

• In the desert: He spends time in prayer.

Wherever He went — synagogue, house, marketplace, or solitude — Jesus never missed a chance to proclaim the Kingdom. Neither should we.

Our Role in the Master’s Plan

The Great Commission is not just a call to action; it is a path to growth. The more we share our faith, the deeper we grow in it. As we speak about Christ, we begin to know Him better. And as we share Him, we discover more of Him in our own lives.

Yet we must never forget Jesus’ example — all His evangelizing was soaked in prayer. We, too, must return often to the desert, to seek the Father in silence, so our words and witness may bear fruit.

Prayer

Lord, you have given us the gift of faith. Help us to treasure it by sharing it. Fill us with your Holy Spirit, that we may preach Christ boldly — in season and out of season. May we never miss an opportunity to bring others to You, the source of life and joy. Amen.