EXORDIUM– It is often easy for Christians nay Catholics to reduce the idea of evangelization to mere theorizing and arm chair theologies. In this sense, we are satisfied with just a bland and mediocre response to the radical demands of the Gospel. It is often the case that the evangelization mandate handed down to us by the apostles and through them to the African soil has yet to sink deep into the roots of the African Psyche. It is not enough that in our daily masses and religious gatherings we have our pews filled to the brim. This could be a case of following God with the lips but hearts being far away from him (Isaiah 29:13). Daily in the trends of African Catholicism, one is beset with varied challenges that touch the spiritual and religious life of the African. Hence, some Catholics are moved to ask if Catholicism has any relevance to the African soul and to what extent the African Evangelizer can boast of true and authentic witnessing after the mind of Christ? The problem and the solution can be traced in the means and manner in which evangelization is carried out today. Unless this is done, we will continuously play the character in the myth of Sisyphus.
A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF OUR SCRIPTURAL TEXT– The biblical text which forms the crux of our topic is taken from the Gospel of John 14:31. Its English version is “Arise, let us go from here. It is originally rendered in Greek as “εγειρεθε αγωμεν εντευθεν. This passage is taken from the larger context of the last words of Jesus to his disciples shortly before his crucifixion. These similar words are also found in Matthew 26:46.The literal sense of this passage could be the reference of Christ to his disciples to leave the upper room and head back to the Mount of Olives where Judas plans to bring authorities to arrest him. This is but one meaning to this. In a spiritual- theological sense embedded in Johanine literature, we see Christ’s total condemnation of day dreaming, procrastination and fanciful ideologies. We must take the initiative to arise and align our wills with that of the master, only then can we be able to bear abundant fruits.
TOWARDS AN ELUCIDATION OF THE CATCH WORDS “EVANGELIZATION/EVANGELIZER”
Evangelization stems from the latin word “evangelizare” along with its Greek connate ευαγγελιον which means Good news. Later on the gospel writers precisely the Markan tradition will adopt the concept of the good news used in the Greco-roman world for emperors and kings as the Good News of our lord Jesus Christ. In a broader context and definition, evangelization has received elaborate meanings and explanations. The online catholic dictionary defines it as the “zealous proclamation of the Gospel in order to bring others to Christ and his church”. Pope Paul VI describes it as bringing the good news to all the strata of humanity and through its influence transforming humanity from within and making it new. (Evangelli Nuntiandi 18). This Evangelization must transform the interior man, affect his culture and finally make him a Christian and a catholic. The evangelizer is the man and woman whom God uses as an instrument to bring about Evangelization.
WHITHER AFRICAN EVANGELIZATION TODAY? A CURSORY LOOK AT THE DEEP SEATED PROBLEMS OF THE AFRICAN CHURCH– I make mine the words of Pope Paul VI in his magnum Opum, Evangelli Nuntiandi number 1. He says,”There is no doubt that the effort to proclaim the Gospel to the people of Africa (addition mine) is buoyed up by hope but at the same time often oppressed by fear and distress”. With so many years of being an “independent Church” can we really say that we have the evangelical force capable of really transforming our people? I state here that at the foundation of the problem of African Evangelization is it’s inability to produce enough witnesses to “light a fire in Africa”. While we boast of intimidating statistics as recorded yearly by the Vatican, we do not have enough men and women who are convinced enough to lay down their lives for the sake of the gospel. Hence, we see cases of hypocrisy, syncretism and neo-paganism constantly at play in the lives of acclaimed Christians. Besides that, we have a greater number of people who have not yet received the gospel message. Enough efforts are not yet made to dialogue properly with them or to persuade them to conversion. Also, Africans ( especially Nigerians) are beset with a lot of political and ethnic divides, poor economy that has bred hunger, distress, unemployment and increase in crime rate. The Church is constantly faced with the challenge of making the gospel message concrete amidst these shattering situations.
CONCLUSION- BACK TO OUR DRAWING BOARD: IMITATING THE MASTER. The injunction of Christ to arise and go from here is very apt for today’s evangelizers. It so much involves the avoidance of lethargy, spiritual sloth and sticking to our comfort zones. Christ was never afraid to go out into the different towns of Galilee to confront the social, moral religious and political issues of his time. If we are to be effective as Africans we must pit out into the deep so that we can make a great catch of souls. Often times, we are afraid of taking risks and taking bold evangelization initiatives that will bring about the spread of the gospel message. We are afraid of confronting the evils of our African world. Most people look the other way, some sit on the fence or simply join the band wagon
On the other hand, some laity on their own part are not yet catechized to see themselves as active agents of evangelization in their different areas of vocation. A lot still go with the conception that the whole work of evangelization lies with the priests. This is where pastors of souls have more work to do. Finally, like Christ, there must be a correspondence between what we preach and what we do. This is the basis of true witness that can only come about through an intimate union with the master. The African church yearns deeply for authenticity as seen in integrity and holiness of life. It is no longer satisfied with doctrines and excessive homilies. The people have seen an overdose of that. The lives we live as pastors and laity must convince our brethren that we have seen and encountered Jesus. It is when we take this path that we can be sure of carrying out the evangelizing thrust of the master. Stanley Ijeoma
thinkalong 