Transcript

Just before the risen Lord Jesus ascended to Heaven, He entrusted the apostles with the church's missionary mandate: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

To this day, the church adheres to the Lord's commission.

The Church remains missionary by her very nature, in the words of the Second Vatican Council.

She understands herself to be essentially evangelical, to be the herald of Gospel truth to every man and woman of goodwill.

In recent decades, however, Christians have renewed their understanding that all disciples, not just missionaries, are called by Christ to evangelize.

The mandate that Jesus gave to the church to spread the Gospel is imparted to each of her members at the moment of baptism.

To be a disciple of Jesus Christ, therefore, is to be an active participant in the church's evangelical life.

For laymen and women who live out the Christian vocation in the world, the life of a missionary disciple begins at home.

The members of a family, husband, wife, sons, and daughters, proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ first and foremost to each other by praying together, celebrating the sacraments together, sharing meals with one another, doing chores together, even.

In literally everything that the family does together, members of the family can manifest Christ's power and love at work in each of them.

Parents have a particular duty in the home to evangelize.

Parents are the principal and first educators of their children.

Parents are the first to introduce their children to the mysteries of salvation.

They promise to do this, in fact, when they present their children for baptism.

During the rite of baptism, the priest instructs the parents, It will be your duty to bring your child up to keep God's commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbor.

And then he asks them, Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?

And the parents respond, Yes.

Parents, aided by godparents, pastors, and catechists, fulfill this promise when they teach their children to pray, and instruct them in Christian doctrine, and instill in them the lessons of Christian virtue.

One of the reasons why the family is called the domestic church is that the family constitutes the primary community in which the faith is passed on from generation to generation.

However, the members of the domestic church are not meant to focus their evangelical efforts exclusively on the home.

Each member of the family engages in other activities outside the home, work, and school, recreation, and everything else.

And in each of these pursuits, Christian men and women and children are called to witness the Gospel truth and love in courageous and prudent ways.

Even the smallest act of charity in the workplace, for example, can bear tremendous fruit in the lives of those who remain far from Christ.

In between the home and the workplace and school lies the parish.

The parish, too, can be a focus of the Christian's evangelical efforts.

Though coordinated by the pastor and perhaps assisted by religious, a parish's evangelical life remains dependent upon the work of the lay faithful to truly thrive.

Even the most rural parish offers parishioners a number of opportunities to share their time, talent, or treasure for the spread of the Gospel.

Whether in liturgical ministries, societies for outreach to the poor, the local council of the Knights of Columbus, or the parish religious education program, laymen and women can bring the life of faith, hope, and charity to greater perfection by exercising these virtues for the good of others.

In so doing, the lay faithful not only support their parishes morally and financially, but they also ensure that the parish remains a true evangelizing presence in their communities.

This video marks the end of Mystagogy, our Pillars of Catholic Living component.

Congratulations on making it this far.

You may have just joined us for the last seven chapters as a way to enrich your Catholic faith, or perhaps you've journeyed from the very beginning of the program as a catecumen or candidate.

Wherever you started, we're happy that you could benefit from this program.

It's been a privilege to guide you through some of the most important elements of Catholic life and practice, keys to a successful spiritual life, keys to growing in holiness.

You may feel like you've learned a lot and are eager to apply it in your own life.

You may also feel somewhat overwhelmed, like there are so many things that you should be doing.

I just wanna leave you with one thought to set your mind and heart at peace.

Know that God always takes the initiative in our spiritual lives.

He's the most important part of our spiritual lives.

And practically speaking, it's likely that God is asking you to focus on just a few things right now.

He knows we're simple and weak, and so he directs our attention to the most important next step.

Turn to Him in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, and continue to live out the faith.

It's God who puts the desire for holiness within your heart.

If He's put the desire there, know that He'll also fulfill it.

If you hunger for holiness, God will satisfy your longing.

His grace is enough for you.

So continue on your path to the Kingdom of Heaven, and may Almighty God bless you.

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.