Draft message of the Synod on the new evangelization
October 20, 2012: A first draft of the concluding message of the 13th Ordinary General
Assembly of the Synod of Bishops was presented at the 18th General Congregation
at Vatican, on Saturday morning. ‘Christians bring the Gospel to the world with clam
courage, overcoming fear with faith and aware of the longing for God contained in
the human heart: this is the core of the draft message of the Synod on the new evangelization.
The draft document is provisional, but the amended text will be put to a vote on next
Friday.
The draft message of the Synod opens with saying ‘empty jar waiting
to be filled with pure water that gives life. This is an image that recalls the thirst
and longing for God enclosed in the heart of modern man, but also the evangelizing
mission of the Church and its mission to reach out to humanity, just as Christ did
with the Samaritan woman at the well.
What emerges, until now, is a direct
tone, clear, well aware of the difficulties and challenges of the new evangelization.
The bishops affirm that all Christians are involved in proclaiming the Gospel.
The
Synod highlights that it is certainly not to invent new ways of evangelization, as
the Good News is not a product of the market. It is necessary, however, to discover
the ways in which to approach the men of today with the story of Jesus.
The
draft message then calls into question all categories of people - ecclesial and social
- bishops, priests, religious, families, young people, politicians and many others.
It expresses words of gratitude and encouragement for their work and for the integral
development of humanity. The draft document also reaffirms the importance of interreligious
dialogue, the works of charity, education, and evangelization that starts first by
members of the same Church.
In addition, the pattern of the text looks at individual
continents and provides useful tips and exhortations to the new evangelization, depending
on the specific realities of each region.
What matters, says the draft document,
is that Christians win fear with faith and have the serene courage to take the gospel
to all the world, which, though full of inconsistencies and challenges, is the creation
of God.