New Evangelization
A Welcome Change: An Opportunity for New Adventure and New Evangelization
This week marks the beginning of Fall Season. Everything around us will be changing. The foliage of the trees will soon turn into a kaleidoscope of colors. The temperature around us will bring both cool and chill into our bodies. The upcoming election will challenge our principles. On October 2, I will be celebrating my 10 years as a priest. So many changes and so many opportunities for adventure and evangelization. Yet one thing remains and unchanged is the love of God for His children.
The change from small town Kentucky to city life Grand Rapid and from a small office of a mobile home to a corner office on a third floor (actually cubicle area but with a great view) are truly marvelous and blessed change in my life. Not to mention returning to a Redemptorist community that provided me and my mother with kindness and hospitable welcome. Truly a lot of changes happening yet the good and the beautiful that surrounds us echo a presence that says God is with us all the time.
I am currently the Assistant Director of Youth and Young Adults for the Hispanic Ministry of the Diocese of Grand Rapids. Throughout my ministry, I have enjoyed the ministerial opportunity of cross-cultural missionary diversity in the Catholic Church. This ministry is so dear to my heart because it brings everyone together in celebrating the gift of each other, cultural beauty, and depth of faith expression. The ministry is guided by three foundations of evangelization and formation namely: Espiritualidad (Spirituality), Pastoral de Conjunto (Communion in Mission) and Discipulos Misioneros (Missionary Discipleship). These foundations will be the compass that would guide us in carrying out the pastoral vision for Hispanic youth and young adults for the Diocese of Grand Rapids. The mission is to accompany the youth and young adults in their faith journey and remind them that they matter in the life of the Church.
The Apostolic Exhortation letter to the youth called “Christus Vivit: Christ is alive,” written by Pope Francis, calls the attention of the millennials to one main truth: “At the heart of our faith is one truth: God loves you. The very first truth I would tell each of you is this: “God loves you.” It makes no difference whether you have already heard it or not. I want to remind you of it. God loves you. Never doubt this whatever may happen to you in life. At every moment, you are infinitely loved” (Christus Vivit, Paragraph 112).
The many changes we are all experiencing this moment will come and go. The norm that we are familiar with will change. But the love of God remains the same. It will not change. His love for us is eternal, regardless of who we are and what we do, or the changes that happen in our life, every moment can be an opportunity for adventure and evangelization. We must simply open ourselves to change and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us. The most important to remember is that although change may be inevitable, the Love of God will carry us through in these changes. His providential care remains the same and eternal.
God loves you.
Through the arms of Mary, may we be directed always to our Perpetual Help, Jesus Christ...
Father Eugene T. Batungbacal, C.Ss.R.