This Gospel is excellent for reminding us of a key teaching regarding the missionary discipleship of all the baptized advocated by Pope Francis: “Every Christian is challenged, here and now, to be actively engaged in evangelization; indeed, anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love." (EV 120) Certainly, the disciple is always open to deepening the insight of the Gospel and learning new ways of communicating it. This must not, however, inhibit us from sharing, in opportune moments, the joy of the Gospel and witnessing to the impact that faith in Jesus has had on our lives. Today's Gospel speaks of the urgency with which Jesus exhorts the Apostles as he sends them out. He also encourages them not to be thwarted by negative responses such that they are to: "... shake off the dust from their feet." (Mk 6: 11) Where does the desire to evangelize originate? It emerges from my own experience of receiving the Good News and the knowledge that Jesus died and rose for me:" For the love of Christ urges us on, "because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore, all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them." (2 Cor 5: 14-15) Let us all be open, therefore, to prioritizing evangelization as integral to our lives as Catholics called to love, serve and believe in the Church as sacrament of Christ in the world.
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