World Youth Day 2019 USA Leader Guides Stateside Leader Guide | Page 22

sets us on the right path, and sends us out to truly experienced God’s saving love does
be his witnesses.” 29 not need much time or lengthy training to
go out and proclaim that love. Every
The response to the personal encounter as a Christian is a missionary to the extent
witness sent by Jesus Christ into the world is that he or she has encountered the love
called living as a missionary disciple. of God in Christ Jesus: we no longer
say that we are “disciples” and
This term captures a reality which is central to “missionaries”, but rather that we are
the work of the New Evangelization as the always “missionary disciples.” 31
Church moves more fully from maintenance
to mission. 30 Pope Francis uses the term very Bringing Christ to others (as a missionary
often in his preaching and catechesis and disciple) compels one to know and live the
explains it clearly in his apostolic exhortation, faith. Being catechized does not simply mean
Evangelii Gaudium. knowing the faith; it also involves witnessing to
the faith in our lives. Formation in the faith is
In virtue of their baptism, all the members
meant to be ongoing – even for an adult.
of the People of God have become
missionary disciples (cf. Mt 28:19). All the Additionally, one does not grow in faith alone;
baptized, whatever their position in the rather, it is the work of Christ within us and in
Church or their level of instruction in the a community. Leaders are called to be
faith, are agents of evangelization, and regularly engaged in these efforts (ongoing
it would be insufficient to envisage a plan formation, community activities) if they are to
of evangelization to be carried out by model them for pilgrims.
professionals while the rest of the faithful
would simply be passive recipients. The The parish is the regular place where leaders
new evangelization calls for personal and pilgrims are nurtured by Christ through
involvement on the part of each of the the community of faith. The parish is the local
baptized. Every Christian is challenged, source for the sacraments and service to the
here and now, to be actively engaged in poor and suffering, yet leaders and pilgrims
evangelization; indeed, anyone who has cannot remain within the comfort of the
St. John Paul II, Message of the Holy Father on the
Occasion of the XVII World Youth Day, July 25, 2001.
29
30
31
21
See XII Ordinary Synod of Bishops (2012), Proposition 22.
Evangelii Gaudium, no. 120. Emphasis added.