As one enters our house from the garage there is a cool plaque that states: Christ Yesterday, Today and Forever (Hebrews 8:13). Evangelization is truly an ongoing process in which we daily renew our personal transition and often a metamorphosis in which we allow Christ to be the center of our lives. This process very much brings us to our higher self, so to speak, as we continue to unite with our whole person which includes our mind, our body, and our soul in the pursuit of holiness.
Several years ago, theologian Pierre Teilhard de Chardin captured this insight when he stated, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” Sure we are all ‘rough around the edges’ which often includes the many wounds of life and yet we are called to continue our journey in life to become the best, the most unique individual who is spiritually retooled by the Potter, Jesus Christ himself, because we are the clay, we were created as such.
Recently as I was returning home after a long but protective day of providing counseling to many eager and wonderful clients, I turned on my radio to follow one of two or three podcasts that I enjoy reviewing. This particular podcast had just begun with a angry New Yorker, who was understandably quite annoyed at being awakened at 5 AM, not by a rooster who typically wakes me when I am in Guatemala each year and reminding me our Rotary club medical missionary destination, but by a loud speaker blasting a message five times a day, remaining everyone it’s time to pray! The leader of the podcast asked the radio audience “what are your thoughts and feelings about this” but no one responded. Though I have never called a radio talk show before I called the 800 number and stated that I would like to respond, and in about 10 seconds, I was asked does it bother me to be called/notified by loudspeaker 5 times a day that it’s a good idea to pray. I remarked that I felt it was okay to remind me because it is good idea to pray often as we know we live in a very challenging and troubled world.
I further stated that I had an additional thought or two, and I shared the concern that when people pray, they are usually quite passionate in so doing most religions, it is my understanding that Muslims often pray out loud to their God for our demise as we are considered to be the infidel and not worthy to enter the sacred and holy place, called heaven. My second concern is, why is it that Christian people are unwilling to passionately and continually pray, as we have been asked by our God so that we would successfully share the kingdom of God throughout the world? Approximately 2/3 of the world is non-Christian and obviously we have not done a very good job of spreading the kingdom of Jesus Christ throughout the world.
I don’t believe this type of prayer is a good idea, because it continually focuses on so much negativity, untruthfulness, as well as intolerance of others! However, it is tolerable for me if we are passionately praying for the whole world in the spirit of Jesus Christ as we have been taught the power of Love is the greatest power in the universe and this will triumph in the end. The gift of Evangelization is first focused on each of us being evangelized; so that we personally have a metamorphosis and this growth in our spirituality fills our soul with the quest to share evangelization with all others, even our enemies, as we are emphatically instructed by our spiritual leaders. The profound theologian, scientist, evangelist and teacher, Teilhard de Chardin shared with us his perception of evangelization as he stated: “May the Lord preserve in us all a passionate zest for the world, with much gentleness, and may he help us be more fully human to the end. “
Teilhard de Chardin continued “Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God, the energies of love, and then, for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire”. The truth sets us free and these inspiring words become our mantra as we evangelize all in the Risen Christ.
I hope you had a Happy and blessed Easter!
—To speak with Dr. Tim Lynch, PhD., you can call him at
615-504-4357 or email him at tdlynch@bellsouth.net. If you would like to know more about Dr. Tim, check out the Psychology Today Practice Directory or visit his website at www.thelynchgroup.net
