Editorial   Lord, Here Am I ! Send Me    
"If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel"(1Cor 9:16)! The last desire of Jesus Christ that the gospel should be preached all over the world, is not just a directive but a command. It is not something that his disciples should observe only if they are inclined to do so, if they have enough time or wealth; rather it is a bounden duty. It is enjoined not only on certain chosen individuals, but it is a command given to his disciples of all time, of all nations. Whatever good we may do, if we do not obey this all- important command, we are not going to be saved. It is not wrong to think that when St Paul says, "Woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel, "he is referring to eternal damnation which is the greatest disaster that can happen to man.
 
If this is so, it is high time that serious thought be given by every individual and every section of the Church to the question: What have I done so far? What am I doing now to obey this all-important command? It is imperative that we make an honest appraisal of our activities in this area up till now, remedy the shortcomings, draw up a time-bound programme according to priorities and carry it out sincerely in the stipulated time. This should be done by every individual and every community.
 
If we examine our work ethics, we can see that we give only the last place to the work of evangelisation. Our personal energy, time and money are expended more in comparatively less important matters. If we try to install God in houses built with mortar and brick instead of in the hearts of men, he will leave the house and go away. If many of the institutions we have put up at great expense for the sake of the love of God and man, have now become a liability, it is a sign that we have to stop our march in this direction.
 
Why is the gospel not proclaimed with enough zeal? Either we are not sufficiently aware of the seriousness of the last command of Jesus; or, Christ's teachings are not very relevant to us. They do not truly or sufficiently influence our life. Just because the waters of Baptism have been poured on our heads, and we bear a Christian name, we obey certain observances of the Church for years together. That is all.
 
Preaching the gospel can be done in various ways. In the first place, we can proclaim Jesus by living an exemplary Christian life, fulfilling our duties conscientiously wherever we may be, according to our state of life. We can remember that our life is an open Bible.
 
Secondly, we can enter the life of those in our society who are suffering and bearing heavy burdens, like another Jesus, console them by giving love and hope and help them financially as well as we can. Thus we make the word a reality in our lives. "Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves" (Jam 1:22). Let us try our best to spread the word of God wherever and in whomsoever it has not entered. We should keep aside a part of our income for the work of evangelisation. When we distribute Bibles and circulate Christian literature, many will come to know Christ.
 
Supporting the missionaries who labour day and night to spread the gospel, with our prayers, is an important work of evangelisation. To those who suffer and are persecuted for the sake of the gospel, prayer is a great help. There are today individuals and communities who, in the late hours of the night, offer prayers of supplication on their knees with extended arms. Their number must increase. "The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest"(Mt 9:37-38), exhorted Jesus. We should, therefore, pray daily for numerous zealous workers to be sent into the field.
 
Those who are convinced that they are specially called to spread the gospel of Jesus, must leave their home and country and go to mission lands. There are thousands of people who go out of our retreat centres, every week, after their lives have been renewed. Since the majority of them do not become mission-minded, they fall back into the old vices. And then they look forward to making another retreat. Only if those whose lives have been renewed, those who have accepted Jesus as their Saviour, become full-time missionaries, will the Holy Father's exhortation to spread the gospel all over the world by 2000 AD, be fulfilled atleast in a small manner. Let us remember that there are hundreds of thousands of villages in India which have not heard of Jesus. When the Lord asks, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us"(Is 6:8)? let each one of us be able to answer, "Here am I; send me!"
 

-Editor

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