Thursday, March 31, 2011

Ephesians 4:4-6 part 6

We saw last time our calling is manifold. Our vocation, our calling, is to know and practice and teach God’s word. As St. Jerome said so aptly, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” We simply cannot grow in grace and intimacy and knowledge of God if we refuse to avail ourselves of the Word of life.


The other part of our calling, closely linked to the first, is our call to evangelize – from the Greek, εὐαγγέλιον (euanggelion)– to proclaim good news. It is linked to the first part of our calling because, well, because we can’t give what we don’t have.

Used by the New Testament writers and the Church, εὐαγγέλιον means to proclaim the good news of salvation through God’s only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ. And so the Lord Jesus commissioned the Church (specifically, each Christian) to make disciples of all nations by teaching them the gospel. Note also St. Luke's rehearsal of the Lord's Great Commission here, St. Paul's words here, and St. Peter's instruction regarding the reason for our calling here.

And thus the Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to this missionary mandate in many places, such as here, here and here.

It should be unnecessary to add comment that we cannot really know Christ, or effectively tell others about Him, if we ourselves do not walk the talk. Note St. Paul's words here and here. Also see, St. Peter's here, with St. James' here. And then there is the dire warning of Jesus to those who profess to be Christians, but are in reality fooling only themselves.

Which is why, by the way, to foster better and increasing obedience Christ, I encourage all who read this blog to regularly participate in what I call the 4 Ss -- Sacraments, Scripture study, Supplication (prayer) and Socializing with those of like faith (e.g. fellowship).

Think of it for a moment: the Almighty Creator of all that is seen and unseen permits jars of clay to participate in the privilege of bringing others to new birth.

That is our calling.

I can think of none other more precious.

We will move on into this chapter in the next lesson.

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