Evangelising and serving the Church
The love of God inflames our souls so that we can share it with others. This is the whole spirit of Pentecost: an outpouring of the Spirit, which must continue until the coming of our only Lord, Master and Friend.
Letter to Françou Malcor 06/08/72
7 MINUTES : ÉVANGÉLISER ET SERVIR L’EGLISE
To evangelise, to announce the Gospel: as Christians we are committed to serving the Church and her mission.
In the eyes of Pierre Goursat, mission was fundamental: “When evangelising others, you are the one who comes back evangelised. You open wide your heart, you witness the suffering and hunger for the Lord in people on the street who don’t know him. You return with only one desire, to evangelise.” he says.
How do we get this thirst to evangelise, encouraged by Pierre Goursat? What does it mean to be missionary? How do we respond to the call to announce the Gospel and at the same time ourselves walk a path of conversion?
Let us ask Jesus for the ability to be very simple, very small, and to bear witness to Him. He will put a passionate fire in our hearts so that we carry his message everywhere.
First summer session at Paray-le-Monial, 16/07/75
ils témoignent
WHAT WE NEED TO REMEMBER
The spirit of Pentecost
We have received a Pentecostal spirit: a spirit of power and daring that impels us to announce the good news of the Gospel to the world. So let's join the school of the apostles with Mary. After receiving the Holy Spirit, they went out of the Upper Room to spread the Word.
Evangelising everywhere
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." Matthew 28:19. As Pierre Goursat said, "Evangelising is a general obligation." There is no dearth of opportunities to spread the Word! If we want to, the Lord will give us the opportunities: the people we meet, neighbours, shopkeepers, and so on. The most difficult thing is to get started; but as time goes by it becomes a habit. Ask others how they do it!
Evangelising everywhere
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..." Matthew 28:19. As Pierre Goursat said, "Evangelising is a general obligation." There is no dearth of opportunities to spread the Word! If we want to, the Lord will give us the opportunities: the people we meet, neighbours, shopkeepers, and so on. The most difficult thing is to get started; but as time goes by it becomes a habit. Ask others how they do it
Serving the Church
The Church's great mission is to preach the Word, and by evangelising we contribute to this mission. The Lord has given the Church treasures, like the sacraments, to carry out this mission and make us holy. Pierre used to say: "By obeying the Church, we have all the Church's treasures." Who could refuse such treasures?
In practical terms, we are a community of service, so we are not here to sleep, but quite the opposite: to wake up! So, if the Lord makes us grow, it is also because He is really asking us to take action. And it is clear that right now, He is asking us to serve more and more... So, it is important that there are a lot of us, so that we can really listen to the Lord. We not only need to be numerous: we also need to have more and more inner awareness. So, we really need to pray more and more, be more and more in adoration and really ask the Lord to serve Him, because the Lord is in a hurry. [...] And we have very little time to act. So, we need to be increasingly numerous, give more and more in terms of service, and be increasingly united in prayer, for action.
Introduction to the account of the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, community weekend, 14/10/79
In practical terms, we are a community of service, so we are not here to sleep, but quite the opposite: to wake up! So, if the Lord makes us grow, it is also because He is really asking us to take action. And it is clear that right now, He is asking us to serve more and more... So, it is important that there are a lot of us, so that we can really listen to the Lord. We not only need to be numerous: we also need to have more and more inner awareness. So, we really need to pray more and more, be more and more in adoration and really ask the Lord to serve Him, because the Lord is in a hurry. [...] And we have very little time to act. So, we need to be increasingly numerous, give more and more in terms of service, and be increasingly united in prayer, for action.
Introduction to the account of the pilgrimage to the Holy Land,
community weekend, 14/10/79
