I’ve been in my position as Director of Evangelization for our parish family for about a year now.  The role has turned out to be more than I originally imagined it would be.  I wear several hats during the course of a day, and I often hear, “I saw your truck at the parish office late last night.”  To them I respond, “Yep, I’m loving it!  For the first time in twenty years I get up in the morning and look forward to going to work!”

Ministry work is as distinct as night and day to the corporate life I endured for thirty-six years before I retired.  While I may have grown weary of the grind, I enjoyed the hundreds of people with whom I worked and led, especially helping them learn how to perform their jobs well and understand why it was necessary.  Understanding the “why” behind a directive can inspire someone to move from poor or mediocre performance to high performance.  I think this principle applies to evangelization, as well.

The directive to evangelize came from Jesus, “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.” (Mt 28:19-20). Jesus didn’t explicitly answer the “why” question in this order, but He did give us inferences in the Gospels and inspired letters of the New Testament as to why he commanded this of us:

“because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me…for this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life…” (Jn 6:38-40)

“This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tm 2:3-4)

Jesus laid out the conditions of discipleship when he said we must deny ourselves and follow Him, that is, to do as He does and as He commands. (Mt 16:24-26)

Just like an employee who wonders “why?” might ask the question, “What’s in it for me?”, before he does something, it’s easy for us Christians to ask the same, especially when it comes to the often difficult task of evangelizing. The real question should not be, “What’s in it for me?”, but “What’s in it for someone else?”.  Jesus made this inference when he explained the second Great Commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself!” (Mt 22:39) 

So, the answer to, “What’s in it for someone else?”, is that they will find a relationship with Jesus, the One Who redeems us and leads us to “God [who}, infinitely perfect and blessed in Himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in His own blessed life.” (CCC1).

And the answer to, “What’s in it for me?”, is the grace in knowing that correctly answering, “What’s in it for someone else?”, might simply be your salvation!

“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and presence in my life, for the desire to place myself in Your presence, and to bring others into Your presence, as well.  Amen.”

(Why You Should Evangelize was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

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