We are all participants in what is known as the New Evangelization!
We are given a pretty impressive image in our Gospel which stated, "the whole town was gathered at the door." I personally like how the Knox Translation translates this text. It instead states, "the whole city stood crowding at the door." The addition of this word, crowding, makes a great statement to what took place on that day. It leaves us with the image that these people were so in love with Christ that they were doing all that they could to get as close to him as possible. This gathering was so great that it would of been impossible for them to easily fit into the doorway because everybody came with great faith and wanted that opportunity for themselves. We can look around today and see that people are not crowding to enter into this Church. Why? Part of the reason is because we have become to busy to place Christ at the very center of our life. Sports, work, friends, needed rest, among many other realities exist which point out the fact that we have begun to lose touch of that which is really important.
What did it take for the whole town to crowd around the door of Christ? Firstly, it took faith and ,secondly, it was attributed to putting that faith into action by going out as a missionary and drawing other souls to encounter Christ. If it were not for the faith of Simon and Andrew the need of this sick woman would of never been brought before Jesus. Without their faith at that moment she would of been left sick because her need would of never become known. From this great miracle others heard of Christ and they desired to go out and bring the ill and those possessed by demons to Him. Christ did not go out to them, but instead missionaries came and evangelized them to the healing power of Christ and brought them to encounter the joy that only Christ can bring into the world. Without these missionaries going out to bring them to Christ they would of been left alone, ill, and possessed.
As the community of faith who are here this day to be nourished by Christ's Body and Blood; we must desire to lead others into our community, not only the community between each other here, but by drawing them into the communion that is found within Christ through the gift that is the Eucharist. We are not doing enough if we are not leading souls to crowd around Christ who is our triumphant King. And so we must ask ourself: Who are the unchurched, who are the fallen away, who are those missing from here this day due to a lack of faith, how is it that we must grow in our faith in order to draw others to Christ, how is it that we need to altar our life to become a better disciple for Christ? Let us be not afraid to grow in our faith and to draw other souls to crowd around Christ. The worse that can happen is somebody might take your seat, but I promise you can always find another one!
And so what must we do: We must pray, pray the rosary, pray before the Blessed Sacrament, pray as a family, pray when we are tempted, and from our relationship with Christ become a true witness for Him. Draw souls to encounter Christ by the witness that you give, welcome new people that you might see at Mass to our community, get involved in Church groups and invite others to be involved too, parents must build up the domestic Church in their own home, evangelize those who know not the name of Christ or His Church or have fallen away from the Church. In all things may God be glorified and may we truly lead all people to crowd around that door which leads to Christ.
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