B. Isenbarger Catholicism, Evangelization, Jesus Christ

You are Jesus

This past week, eight of my seminarian brothers and I had the opportunity to go to the University of Saint Francis for an evangelization trip. Our mission was simple: to facilitate an encounter between Jesus Christ and the students at USF.

How did we go about doing this? We were armed with nothing more than our baptismal identity as sons of the Father and the anointing of our confirmation as soldiers for Christ. Many of you reading this probably have the same gifts dwelling within you; that is, the indwelling presence of the Most Blessed Trinity.

Think about it, by nature of your baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist, God dwells totally in you and makes you a member of the Body of Jesus Christ. Thus, you and I are Jesus really present in the world.

This fact should give us great fortitude and fearlessness in witnessing to the Christian event. No matter the trial, setback, or failure, you and I are always children of the Father and members of the Body of Christ. Further, because the human person was created by God and for God, there is a deep yearning within the human condition that longs to be in communion with God. As such, the Christian is the tangible Body of Christ which must bring about the communion of humanity with God.

In our experience at USF, we found this to be the lived reality. In the course of two days, we met somewhere between 200-300 students. After engaging with them on a very human level about their own life and experiences, we then proposed the basic kerygma and invited them to pray with us. Repeatedly, this led to either a reconsideration of the Faith, a return to its practice, or an overwhelming gratitude for our presence; that is, Christ’s presence. In a word, when folks encounter Christ, they experience a transformative fulfillment which satisfies a yearning from very root of their created nature.

It’s a fulfillment for which all creation yearns – and you are Jesus.

Be not afraid to cast out into the deep!

B. Isenbarger Evangelization, Feast Days, Relationships

Have you ever met Jesus?

Hey, have we met before?

In the readings for the feast of St. Paul’s Conversion from the Acts of the Apostles we get a startling story of some one meeting Jesus for the first time. It really is an incredible story. You can check here for the details.

But how do you typically answer that question?

Honestly, I usually get a little uncomfortable when I think about it. Have I really met Jesus? I mean, I’m not sure how tall he was, or how long his hair was. Or, what color were his eyes? Maybe I haven’t met Jesus…

Yikes! That’s a scary thought.

Before we get too unsettled, let’s take a closer look at St. Paul’s conversion to see how he met Christ.

On the way to attack the Christians living in Damascus, Paul experiences the blinding light and hears these words from Jesus: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 22:7). Jesus does not say: “Why are you persecuting my friends?” or “Why are you attacking my children?” No, Jesus says that when Paul was persecuting Christians, he was persecuting Christ Himself.

So often, it is easy to think of Christ as a theoretical idea or a moral teacher from the first century. But we cannot let this be the case. A few years ago, Pope Benedict brought this to light in his encyclical Deus caritas est when he said the following:

“Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”

And so it was with St. Paul. On that road to Damascus, he encountered Christ – and was changed forever. This is one of the most pivotal moments in history. On that road, after encountering Christ, Saul became Paul and began to transform the entire culture of the Roman Empire and Western civilization.

So, have you ever encountered the Person of Christ?

I bet you have, and the answer may be closer than you think.

It is precisely through the Church – your brothers and sisters sitting right next to you – that you have encountered Christ.

Every Christian has entered into relationship with Christ through the Church – made up of individual persons. After Paul had the encounter on the road to Damascus, where did he go? He went to Ananias to be instructed in the faith and to receive baptism. His encounter with the light of Christ was inseparable from his encounter with the flesh and blood of Christ in the people of his Church.

Certainly, as Catholics, we see Christ most distinctly in the Blessed Sacrament, but he is also truly present in our other Christian brothers and sisters. That’s not me just saying that in some poetic way – it’s a reality. Jesus shows this to us in the story of St. Paul. Another master of evangelization also brought this out in a clear way. C.S. Lewis makes the point in the following way:

“Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.”

In short, to the world, you are Christ. You are Christ’s true and living presence here and now. You may be the only “Bible” a person ever reads or the only “sacrament” some one ever experiences. As Paul met Christ on the road and was changed forever, may every one who encounters you and I – the Church – sense the warmth and light of Christ.