Working on foundations

Many of us may not see ourselves as powerful evangelists, converting pre-modern and post-modern heathens to Christ. That, we think, is someone else’s job.

But while there are individuals with the fulltime job description of evangelist, each and every one of us can and must be involved in that work, fulfilling the command of Christ to preach to every creature.

What we need to do is to be aware of the particular opportunities that come before us: different opportunities that call for different ways of communicating the truth of Christ.

In today’s first reading (Romans 15:14-21), St. Paul writes of two different situations where he has two different roles in communicating the Gospel.

The people to whom he is writing, the Romans, have already been evangelized and have accepted the Gospel. He therefore writes in order to remind them of important things about faith in Jesus Christ.

The people to whom he yet aspires to preach the Gospel, people in Spain, at that time had never heard of Christ. St. Paul therefore wants to be God’s instrument in giving them a fresh, solid foundation of faith in Jesus Christ.

Likewise, each of us has many different opportunities to pass on the truth of Christ to others.

Sometimes we will have the opportunity of shoring up the faith foundation a person already has but which is threatened by the assaults of this world.

Sometimes we will have the opportunity of planting a seed or of laying what will be a foundation stone for faith in a person who has not really heard or accepted the Gospel.

Sometimes we will have the opportunity of just helping out with some “touch-up” work.

We need to be on the lookout everyday for these different opportunities and with God’s help do what we can to build people up in Christ.