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HOW TO EVANGELIZE • Vision for Evangelization
The Jesuits
In the early 1500s, three college students, Francis, Peter, and Ignatius, roomed
together at the University of Paris in the Latin Quarter. Francis hoped to take an
ecclesial post and use his nobility to live a posh lifestyle in luxury and comfort.
Peter, on the other hand, could not quite decide what he wanted to do. At times,
he wanted to get married and become a lawyer, a teacher, or a physician; at
other times, he wanted to become a simple priest or a monk. Ignatius’ purposes
were clear. After living like the prodigal son, he underwent a profound
conversion to Jesus Christ. He was now at the University in order to legitimize
his preaching and start an order of men who would set the world on fire.
Peter, like many other students, was quickly moved by Ignatius and soon shared
his desire to win souls for Jesus Christ. He became a disciple of Ignatius and
wished to join his order. Francis, on the other hand, was quick to make fun of
Ignatius and Peter. Clinging to his desire for an ecclesial position and a life of
ease and comfort, he soon received a job as a professor.
Over the course of three years, Ignatius poured his life into Francis. Despite his
nobility, Francis was leading a life that caused him to go into debt. Ignatius
supplied him with money from the alms he had begged from wealthy merchants.
Ignatius also found students for Francis to tutor in order to provide a steady
income. Yet, Francis was still resistant to Ignatius. Francis sent letters home
for papers to be to confirm his noble status so that he could continue his pursuit
of comfort.
During this time, Peter left university on vacation, leaving Francis and Ignatius
together. When Peter came back, he found that Francis, his roommate of six
years, had changed. He had finally given in to Ignatius’ heeding—―What profits a
man to gain the whole world if only to lose his soul?‖
In 1534, Ignatius gathered around him six men, including Peter and Francis, and
founded the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits. From the beginning, the group had a
tremendous vision and unflagging zeal. Their order grew quickly and they
aggressively began schools to minister to students and seminaries to teach
priests and missionaries. Very soon they became an unyielding force in Europe
and a zealous missionary power around the world. St. Ignatius of Loyola was the
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The Big Picture
The relationships that
we have and the groups
that we are in provide
great opportunities for
r e l a t i o n a l
evangelization.
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Vision for Evangelization
2
superior general. Blessed Peter Favre went on to preach throughout Europe after
the Reformation. And St. Francis Xavier preached the Gospel in Asia and baptized
hundreds of thousands of souls. He was, by most accounts, the greatest singular
missionary force since St. Paul.
St. Francis’ Conversion of Heart
The story of the Jesuits has many fascinating aspects, but I have always been
moved by the story of St. Francis Xavier. To the world, his life before and after
his conversion looked similar—a priest working for the Church. But, interiorly,
something radical happened that changed everything. He went from a life of quiet
desperation that sought his own selfishness to the model of evangelization. St.
Francis Xavier was effective at evangelization only because he personally knew
the love of God and wanted others to experience this love.
When speaking about evangelization, it is easy to talk at first about the need for
evangelization or practical ways to reach out. But, if you yourself haven’t had God
touch you radically in a life-changing way, your evangelization probably won’t
bear much fruit. The desire to evangelize starts first and foremost in realizing the
great need we have for our Savior and the reality of what life would be like
without Him. Evangelization is not merely sharing facts or information;
evangelization is sharing a gift that we have first received, understood, and are
continually grateful for—the person of Jesus Christ.
The College Campus
The story of the Jesuits is also applicable to us because St. Ignatius also utilized
one of the greatest tools of evangelization in his day and in ours—the college
campus. Just like Francis and Peter, thousands of college students are spending
their college years making the most important decisions of their lives. Dr. James
Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, describes this time as the ―critical
decade.‖ Between ages sixteen and twenty-six, he has written, ―most of the
decisions that will shape the next fifty years will be made, including the choice of
occupation, perhaps the decision to marry, and the establishing of values and
principles by which life is governed.‖
The students with whom you interact today on the college campuses of America
will be the future leaders of our country and our world. Never again will you have
the opportunity to live, work, study, and recreate around so many people in such
a close proximity. Furthermore, never in your life will you have more time to
invest in the lives of others. The combination of these four elements (the critical
decade, future leaders, close proximity, and larger amount of free time) creates
the perfect storm for evangelization.
The New Evangelization
On top of all this, our culture is at a critical juncture. A war is raging for the
hearts and souls of men and women. God is calling for a generation of students to
lead others to Jesus Christ and His Church. In his encyclical Redemptoris Missio
[Mission of the Redeemer], Blessed John Paul II proclaimed, "the moment has
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The Challenge
How do continually keep
the
vision
of
evangelization and a heart
for the lost at the
forefront of our lives?
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Vision for Evangelization
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come to commit all of the Church's energies to a new evangelization and to the
mission ad gentes [to the nations]. No believer in Christ, no institution of the Church
can avoid this supreme duty: to proclaim Christ to all peoples" (para. 3).
Our Church is asking you to commit your energies to proclaim Christ to all people.
Now is the time to take action. Now is the time for leadership.
Your Story
Everyone has a crucial role to play in answering the call to proclaim Christ to all
people. We have to ask ourselves: Will we be satisfied with simply looking the part
while seeking comfort? Or will our hearts be filled with zeal and our lives filled with
trying to set the world on fire? Which Francis Xavier will we be?
Evangelization is not comfortable. It is not something we just simply check off on
our list during the week. Evangelization is a way of life that consistently seeks opportunities to strategically reach people for Jesus Christ. It can cost us friends, time,
energy, and pride. But, if we realize the worth of the gift we have received, we
would be willing to share this gift with others.
Despite his success, St. Francis Xavier lived a life of tremendous suffering. He
agonized over the many students in Europe who sought comfort instead of
evangelization. He struggled with how to care for the many people he baptized. He
died sick and alone off the coast of China, but his legacy lives on today and
continues to change hearts. No one would remember the Francis Xavier who took
up a posh ecclesial post.
Take some time to think about your own life. At the end of your life, what would you
want people to say at your funeral? What would your legacy be?
Don’t think about all of your limitations. Don’t think about what others will think.
Think about what God is calling you to do. Ask yourself: How big is my God? Pope
Benedict XVI once said, "The world promises you comfort, but you were not made
for comfort. You were made for greatness." Don’t settle for anything less than
greatness in your conviction to evangelize others and your ability to have an impact
in the world.
For Discussion
1. What stood out to you
about the story of the
Jesuits?
2. What do you think
made them so effective?
3. Why is the college
campus such an
important tool for
evangelization?
4. What keeps us from
evangelizing others?
Recommended
Resources
Set All Afire
by Louis de Wohl
R edemptoris
Missio
(Mission
of
the
Redeemer) by Blessed
John Paul II
End
FOCUSequip is based on Ephesians 4:12 ―for the equipment of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for building up the
body of Christ.‖ These materials seek to equip college students in the New Evangelization.
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