Missionary DiscipleshipSample

Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given

to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the

Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have

commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Matthew

28:18-20

Some commands in the Bible are meant only for specific individuals. When Jesus told his

disciples, “Go into the village and find a donkey and bring him to me,” this was meant only for

the two disciples to whom it was spoken. But when Jesus said, “Make disciples of all nations,”

he was speaking to every one of his disciples—including you and me!

Too often we think that it is the priest’s job or the religious brother or sister’s job to make

disciples. And yes, they have a role to play. But it is the job of every disciple of Jesus to be a

witness to his love and his work in our lives.

In the words of Pope Francis: “In virtue of their baptism, all the members of the People of God

have become missionary disciples (cf. Mt 28:19). All the baptized, whatever their position in the

Church or their level of instruction in the faith, are agents of evangelization, and it would be

insufficient to envisage a plan of evangelization to be carried out by professionals while the rest

of the faithful would simply be passive recipients.

The new evangelization calls for personal involvement on the part of each of the baptized.

Every Christian is challenged, here and now, to be actively engaged in evangelization; indeed,

anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving love does not need much time or lengthy

training to go out and proclaim that love. Every Christian is a missionary to the extent that he or

she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus: we no longer say that we are “disciples”

and “missionaries,” but rather that we are always “Missionary Disciples.” Evangelii Gaudium,

120.

Tell someone about what God has done in your life, how His love has changed you or formed

you—this is what it means to be a witness. Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit. Then help

those around you whenever you can and speak the words he puts on your heart in witness to

His love. Pray. Care. Share. It’s that simple.

“Where does Jesus send us? There are no borders, no limits: he sends us to everyone. The

Gospel is for everyone, not just for some. It is not only for those who seem closer to us, more

receptive, more welcoming. It is for everyone. Do not be afraid to go and to bring Christ into

every area of life, to the fringes of society, even to those who seem farthest away, most

indifferent. The Lord seeks all, he wants everyone to feel the warmth of his mercy and his

love.” Pope Francis, Homily at Mass on the Occasion of the Twenty-Eighth World Youth

Day, Rio de Janeiro, July 28, 2013, no. 1.