10.

The simplest way to say what evangelization means is to follow Pope Paul VI, whose message Evangelii
Nuntiandi (On Evangelization in the Modern World) has inspired so much recent thought and activity in the Church.
We can rephrase his words to say that evangelizing means bringing the Good News of Jesus into every human
situation and seeking to convert individuals and society by the divine power of the Gospel itself. At its essence are
the proclamation of salvation in Jesus Christ and the response of a person in faith, which are both works of the Spirit
of God.

11. Evangelization must always be directly connected to the Lord Jesus Christ. "There is no true evangelization if the
name, the teaching, the life, the promises, the Kingdom and the mystery of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God are not
proclaimed."

"Go 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." Mt 28: 19-2

Stella matutina- morning star

Stella Maris Star of the sea

Mary

- The first to be evangelized (Annunciation)

- The first disciple

Morning star (Hope in the Darkness)

Mary is also the Virgin in prayer. She appears as such in the visit to the mother of the
precursor, when she pours out her soul in expressions glorifying God, and expressions of
humility, faith and hope. This prayer is the Magnificat (cf. Lk. 1:46-55), Mary's prayer par
excellence, the song of the messianic times in which there mingles the joy of the ancient and
the new Israel. As St. Irenaeus seems to suggest, it is in Mary's canticle that there was heard
once more the rejoicing of Abraham who foresaw the Messiah (cf. Jn. 8:56)(48) and there rang
out in prophetic anticipation the voice of the Church: "In her exultation Mary prophetically
declared in the name of the Church: 'My soul proclaims the glory of the Lord....'"(49) And in fact
Mary's hymn has spread far and wide and has become the prayer of the whole Church in all
ages.

Likewise, the last description of Mary's life presents her as praying. The apostles "joined in
continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with
his brothers" (Acts 1:14). (putting oneself down in order to be with the majority)

Mary Jesus Gift To His People

In the famous passage used as the gospel of the La Salette Mass (John 19:26-27), Pope Francis describes
that (Jesus) could feel at his feet the consoling presence of his mother and his friend. Although the words
Woman, here is your son and Here is your mother are often heard as expressions of concern for his mother,
Pope Francis hears them primarily as reminders that Jesus left us his mother to be our mother. At the foot of
the cross, at the supreme hour of the new creation, Christ led us to Mary. He brought us to her because he did
not want us to journey without a mother

He adds: She is the friend who is ever concerned that wine not be lacking in our lives. She is the woman
whose heart was pierced by a sword and who understands all our pain As a true mother, she walks at our
side, she shares our struggles and she constantly surrounds us with Gods love.

Likewise Mary at La Salette shows herself as mother of us all, as she invites the fearful children to come closer,
as she empathizes with Maximins father at his concern for the livelihood of his small but needy family.

Over the countless years of ministry on the Holy Mountain of La Salette, the Missionaries of Our Lady of La
Salette have welcomed untold hundreds of thousand of Marys children, from various countries and various
faiths, to Come near and feel the warmth of Marys words of welcome and encouragement.

Pope Francis states that: There, in these many shrines, we can see how Mary brings together her children
who with great effort come as pilgrims to see her and to be seen by her. Here they find strength from God to
bear the weariness and the suffering in their lives.

Marys Mandate: Go Forth To Be Evangelizers

Marys words spoke in formal French are prophetic words of warning. She spoke about two refusals of her
people: one concerned her peoples lack of keeping the Sabbath holy. It is supposed to be a day of repose, a
day of prayer and celebration. Their second refusal concerned their irreverent and senseless use of the name
of her Son. Their respect for his name was upsetting to her.

As Pope Francis says: There is a Marian style to the Churchs work of evangelization. Whenever we look to
Mary, we come to believe once again in the revolutionary nature of love and tenderness. In her we see
that humility and tenderness are not virtues of the weak but of the strong who need not treat others poorly in
order to feel important themselves She is the woman of prayer and work in Nazareth, and she is also Our
Lady of Help, who sets out from her town with haste (Lk 1:39) to be of service to others.

Her visit at La Salette was certainly an expression of her humility and tenderness(the way she spoke so
directly and compassionately with the two children); a call for her people to attain a balance between their need
for prayer (daily and in Sunday worship) and the work responsibilities of their daily life; and finally giving her
people a mandate not only the two children standing before her but anyone who hears her words to make
(her) message known to all (her) people. Essentially her words are a call to action, an invitation to share the
reconciling message of her Son with everyone we meet.
The Holy Father reminds us of the myriad roles that Mary plays in the life of the Church. She is the
handmaid of the Father who sings his praisesthe friend who is ever concerned that wine not be
lacking gin our livesthe woman whose heart was pierced by a sworda sign of hopethe missionary
who draws near to usa true mother (no. 286). In these many ways and more, Mary is with each of us,
sharing our history, struggles, and our mission. What a wonderful gift Christ has given us! Her maternal
comfort is a wellspring of strength and hope for all who are weary and suffering.

As the one who allowed herself to be completely open to and guided by the Holy Spirit, Mary is our
model of perfect faith; she is the Mother of the Church which evangelizes (284). She accompanies us
as we enter more deeply into the mystery of faitha journey often riddled with moments of aridity,
darkness, and even fatigue (no. 287). She herself, Pope Francis tells us, often experienced these things,
as she lived in intimacy with the mystery of her Son, and went forward in her pilgrimage of faith (no.
287). As we strive to live in that same intimacy, she offers us the comfort of her maternal presence
especially through the moments of darkness and uncertainty.

Evangelization:

- Starts with election ( we are chosen by God) (Mary is chosen by God to be Jesus disciple in
spreading gospel)
o We are like a pencil (Mother Theresa) so there is no need for us to brag about it.
Sometimes we are
- Process in evangelizing ( Mary as model)
o Listening (outside(situation) and inside (Gods Message))
o Response (Gods invitation)
Why invitation? Because God knows that he created human beings not robots
when there is love, there is freedom, a love without freedom is tyranny
o Mary respond fiat voluntas tua!
o Self-donation (Lord in trust you with a mission)
Mission (Love in Action)
- Mary is part of the evangelization: she also highlights the whole reality in Christ (her life defines
more about Jesus)
- If you wanted to know more about Jesus, ask it to Mary
o Saint John Paul II
When Mary know the Good news, she immediately spread it to
Elizabeth
Just like Mary, we must act like her

Know Mary, Know Jesus

No Mary, No Jesus
 Let Us Pray

With those ideas expressed, Pope Francis concludes with a prayer to Mary, asking her to pray for the Church,
and continue to be an example of who we are as a believing, evangelizing people. He prays:

Mary, Virgin and Mother, you who, moved by the Holy Spirit, welcomed the word of life in the depths of
your humble faith: as you gave yourself completely to the Eternal One, help us to say our own yes to the
urgent call, as pressing as ever, to proclaim the good news of Jesus.

Filled with Christs presence, you brought joy to John the Baptist, making him exult in the womb of his
mother.

Brimming over with joy, you sang of the great things done by God.

Standing at the foot of the cross with unyielding faith, you received the joyful comfort of the
resurrection, and joined the disciples in awaiting the Spirit so that the evangelizing Church might be born.

Obtain for us now a new ardor born of the resurrection, that we may bring to all the Gospel of life which
triumphs over death.

Give us a holy courage to seek new paths, that the gift of unfading beauty may reach every man and
woman.
Virgin of listening and contemplation, Mother of love, Bride of the eternal wedding feast, pray for the
Church, whose pure icon you are, that she may never be closed in on herself or lose her passion for
establishing Gods kingdom.

Star of the new evangelization, help us to bear radiant witness to communion, service, ardent and
generous faith, justice and love of the poor that the joy of the Gospel may reach to the ends of the earth,
illuminating even the fringes of our world.

Mother of the living Gospel, wellspring of happiness for Gods little ones, pray for us. Amen. Alleluia!