Effective Evangelization
by Mother Nadine
Pope Paul VI wrote a beautiful encyclical on evangelization. He captured the very heart of evangelization beautifully. The very heart of evangelization is on the Holy Spirit. In fact, the Holy Father brought in a priest that we know who was, at that time, head of the Holy Ghost Fathers to assist him in writing that encyclical, because it was so centered around the Holy Spirit - the Sanctifier Himself. In it, Paul VI said that there can be no effective evangelization there can be no effective evangelization unless mankind is first re-generated from within. He is speaking of the kingdom within. That is the hiddenness of the Spirit within--the living water regenerating this kind of power within.
In the L'osservatore Romano, our Pope John Paul II also said that there can be no evangelization without contemplation. Isn't that beautiful? Headlines--right across the front page: "NO EVANGELIZATION WITHOUT CONTEMPLATION!" In other words, these two Popes are saying there can be no effective witnessing without Contemplative Spirituality. I had to ask the Lord that one time. "Why? Why?" And He said, "Because, I am the Sanctifier. I am the One that is reproducing the image of Jesus upon each person's soul. And He is the One to whom you are witnessing --is Jesus Christ.
So Jesus must be reproduced in each soul by Me. Then, each soul becomes My witness. Then your whole life and life style becomes a living witness to Jesus. You become, literally, Jesus--extensions of the Lord Himself." Isn't that beautiful? This is the tremendous work of our God. He does not want us to miss. He does not want us to be left alone floundering around down here. He is not going to take any chances. "I am going to put My own Spirit within you this time to make sure you make it. I want you to come Home. And I want you to look like, to become, My Son, Jesus."
This is an attribute of the Holy Spirit--He is the Sanctifier. He is the One who makes us saints. The saints are rejoice with the Holy Spirit, thanking Him because of His great work within them. But of course, they allowed Him to do that work. He is a Divine artist, but we have to constantly surrender to that paint brush, don't we? We can resist, or we can choose to let Him have His way.
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Excerpt from Mother Nadine’s, “Wings,” CD Listening Series copyright © Mother Nadine/Intercessors of the Lamb. All rights reserved. For more articles and information about Intercessors of the Lamb, please visit their web site.
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