In Mother Teresa: The Authorized Biography, Navin Chawla recalls asking St. Teresa of Kolkata (Calcutta) about the criticism that she converted people. She replied with a laugh, “I do convert. I convert you to be a better Hindu, a better Catholic, a better Muslim, or Jain or Buddhist. I would like to help you to find God. When you find Him, it is up to you to do what you want with Him.”
Whether or not we take these words as a complete account of her understanding of evangelization, they raise an important question: what does it really mean to share our faith?
The Church is called to proclaim Jesus Christ, but evangelization cannot be reduced to delivering sermons, winning arguments, or persuading others to accept our beliefs. Nor is it a task reserved for people outside the Church. Those of us who have been baptized and practice our faith also need to encounter Christ anew. This is also particularly important in a world of religious diversity, competing claims, and divisions among Christians themselves.
So how do we proclaim Christ with conviction without turning evangelization into a contest of religious superiority or numbers?
The Kerygma: The Heart of the Message
The Greek word kerygma means proclamation or announcement. In Christian usage, it refers to the heart of the Good News: Jesus Christ loves us, gave his life for us, rose from the dead, and offers us salvation. It is more than information about Jesus or a collection of doctrines to be memorized. It is an invitation to encounter the living Christ and respond to his love with faith.
In Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), Pope Francis describes the kerygma as the first and principal proclamation, which must remain at the heart of all evangelizing activity. It is not simply a message for those discovering Christianity for the first time. It is the foundation of the Christian life, something we need to hear and rediscover throughout our journey of faith.
Knowing about Jesus, however, is not the same as allowing him to shape our lives. We can attend Mass, know our prayers, and understand church teaching, yet still struggle to show patience, forgive someone who has hurt us, or care about those on the margins. The Good News has to reach beyond our words and find expression in the way we live.
Before We Evangelize, We Must Be Evangelized
We often think of evangelization as something we do for other people, especially those who do not share our faith. But before we speak to others about Christ, we need to ask whether we are allowing him to change us.
Being baptized or practicing our faith does not mean that our conversion is complete. We have our own prejudices to confront, relationships to repair, and attitudes that need changing. It is easy to speak about Christian values; living them consistently is another matter.
Pope Francis repeatedly reminded the Church that evangelizers must themselves be evangelized. We are not people who stand outside the message, dispensing answers to everyone else. We are disciples who need God’s mercy just as much as those to whom we proclaim the Gospel. That awareness should make us more humble, not less confident in the faith we share.
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