Time to till the soil spiritually in our Church

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Something gardeners do in order to grow an abundance of flowers and vegetables is to turn soil over in fall so that it is ready for planting in spring. Our Church is tilling the soil spiritually as our parishes emerge from the impact of COVID-19, inviting people to return to Mass, restarting programs stalled by the pandemic and fortifying their outreach to those in need.

There are signs of our parishes becoming fully alive again. Every time I visit and talk to pastors, they report how they are seeing more and more people returning to Mass now that more people have been vaccinated. We’re grateful that so many of our faithful have that spiritual hunger for the Eucharist and are returning. This is integral to our tilling of the spiritual soil.

The next step is for us, as Catholics and parish communities, to reconnect with and to encourage people to reengage in sacramental life. This is a concern for the Church locally and universally: How do we bring members of the faithful who have gotten used to not being personally present and active back into our midst?

The Scripture readings from the Acts of the Apostles during this Easter season have reminded us of our Church’s roots, of how the Word of God was to be sowed by the apostles and the Christian communities they formed. It has been a time to recall the Great Commission Jesus gave us: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:19-20).

We received this Great Commission in baptism, and God sent us the Holy Spirit in order that we can carry it out, to evangelize. We are again preparing to undertake — tilling the spiritual soil, if you will — the New Evangelization in our diocese, our parishes and ourselves.

You may recall that more than seven years ago our diocese implemented a pastoral plan titled “Encounter the Joy of the Gospel: Set the World Ablaze.” For a few reasons other important initiatives and activities in the diocese became our main focus in recent years. The New Evangelization plan was dormant while we focused on our diocesan bicentennial.

However, the New Evangelization is not a program! It is an ongoing commitment by you and me to engage, renew and reinvigorate the fervor and life of our Church through the inspiration and gifts of the Holy Spirit. What better time to do this than as we are loosed from the grasp of the pandemic?

I recently renewed the Commission for New Evangelization, overseen by Father Jonathan Goertz, pastor of Sacred Heart, Danville, who holds a graduate degree in evangelization from Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, and Andrew Waring, director of the diocesan Office of Evangelization. In the months ahead, this commission, composed of a cross section of representatives from our diocese, will consider how it can best assist parishes with post-pandemic revitalization, and what diocesan initiatives are needed for all of the faithful to be engaged disciples.

With our celebration of Pentecost this Sunday, I am asking for your help with this endeavor. Please pray the Prayer to the Holy Spirit that accompanies this column regularly. Prayer is a critical part of the New Evangelization — a part of which we can all contribute and till the soil of our spiritual life.

I am also asking that you reflect upon how you will use any or all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit — wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord — that you received at confirmation in order to engage others by your example and to renew and reinvigorate our Church.

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