That’s the tagline that several of us in the parish thought of as we face the challenge of evangelization. We’ve got to bring Glendale to God and God to Glendale!
It’s overwhelming work, but it can happen if we all “tag-along” with those who want this to make this happen. After all, as I’ve shared with people in one of my homilies, God calls us to minister to a particular place, and for us, it’s the City of Glendale.
I know that evangelization in today’s digital and social media world is happening globally. It’s already going on as people search for Masses, homilies, and talks on YouTube and Facebook in different places and countries. We may say that this is one of the silver linings of the pandemic. We’ve become more creative in reaching out to parishioners by using media and technology. And some people have gotten used to attending live-streamed Mass in the comfort of their homes.
But the Sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, are meant to bring us together in worship and service as a Christian community. They are intended not merely for consumption but for the transformation of hearts and minds to be missionary disciples of Christ to our communities and society.
Discipleship is not sitting in front of a computer screen or looking at our smartphones (although many use social media to share their faith). Instead, discipleship is being sent out “two by two,” as we heard in the Gospel last Sunday, to preach repentance and bring healing to a world and people wounded by sin.
Discipleship is growing in a Christian community and becoming a community of love, mercy, reconciliation, justice, peace, and hope. It’s in solidarity with other communities that strive to build Christ’s Kingdom here on earth. It’s working together with other church members to nourish and strengthen the faith of families and individuals in the parish.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus expressed the need to reach out to people when “his heart was moved with pity for them, for they are like sheep without a shepherd.” The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few.
There is so much work waiting for us to bring Glendale to God and God to Glendale. We all have to put our efforts together to get back people to God and Church in worship, praise, and thanksgiving and grow in faith and knowledge of Christ and his teachings.
We start with our families and friends. But this can only happen if one has entered genuinely in relationship with Jesus and if one’s heart is moved with pity for God’s people like Jesus.
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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California.
