Take action like the apostles

As my faith journey meanders through peaks and valleys, I have come to a definitive point of view that Holy Week and Easter is my favorite liturgical time of year.

For me, the reading of the Passion on Palm Sunday and Good Friday is extra motivation to be a better disciple and to act with an increased sense of urgency. The word passion comes from the Latin word for suffering which seems very appropriate during these extraordinary times of navigating through the coronavirus pan­demic. Many people are suffering from the virus, the passing of a loved one, anxiety, depression, isolation or financial struggles. The Passion story culminates Jesus’ mission so powerfully that He suffered and died for our sins. But, we know what happens in the next chapter, His resurrection triumphs over sin, death, and darkness.

I love the readings that follow Easter, specifically the Acts of the Apostles. To me, they are like the strategic business development plan for our Church. Forgive the secular analogies, but picture this: the upper room serves as the “boardroom” of the Jerusalem headquarters. As the Founder and CEO, Jesus led by example, lived His life with great purpose, and established a succession plan by appointing a 12-person board of directors. As their leader, He spent much time with them developing very close relationships and providing the guidance, love, and support they needed to achieve their goals.

The call to discipleship, in essence evangelization, is front and center in the Acts of the Apostles. The apostles were mission driven with no bureaucracy to distract them. They were directed to go out, share the Good News, and be servant leaders. I also love the name of this book of the Bible — it is the Acts of the Apostles, not the Thoughts of the Apostles. They took action and their stories inspire and remind me of our number one priority to go out and evangelize today.

The game plan for us today as modern-day disciples is no different from what Jesus directed Peter and the other apostles to do — develop authentic relationships, serve others, be vulnerable, and have the courage to go out and love one another. The coronavirus has created many opportunities to serve and love one another, but challenges like social distancing make it difficult to stay physically, spiritually and emotionally connected.

As it relates to evangelization and sharing our joy and love for Jesus with others, it comes down to the old adage — you can’t give, what you don’t have. So, please take this time of quarantine to grow in faith: read the Bible, develop a good prayer habit and utilize online resources. There are many resources out there, but here’s a great starting point that our diocese compiled: https://www.rcda.org/coronavi­rus/resources. Lastly, take action like the apostles and be the face of Christ to everyone you encounter.

Please contact me with any questions about boosting evangelization efforts at your parish at [email protected] or by visiting https://www.rcda.org/evangelization. Follow me on Instagram: tom_rcda.