This is a bridge section just before the Holy Father launches into some particulars. First, the centrality of Jesus himself in the evangelical effort:
7. During the Synod, the bishops very frequently referred to this truth: Jesus Himself, the Good News of God,[Cf. Mk 1:1; Rom 1:1-3] was the very first and the greatest evangelizer; He was so through and through: to perfection and to the point of the sacrifice of His earthly life.
To evangelize: what meaning did this imperative have for Christ? It is certainly not easy to express in a complete synthesis the meaning, the content and the modes of evangelization as Jesus conceived it and put it into practice. In any case the attempt to make such a synthesis will never end. Let it suffice for us to recall a few essential aspects.
These aspects include two very big things: the kingdom of God, and salvation in Christ. With tomorrow’s post, we’ll start looking at the qualities of the kingdom or reign of God. Meanwhile, let’s keep in mind that evangelization focuses on Christ as inspiration, as means, as content, and as presence in this whole effort.
Catholic Sensibility 