No doubt you’re very familiar with the story of Pentecost, an event often considered to be the birth of the Church. It is contained in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. The 12 apostles[1] and many other disciples are gathered together in a single place in the city of Jerusalem. Then a sound like a mighty rush of wind comes from heaven, and they see things in the air that look like tongues of fire, which settle on each of them. Then suddenly, in miraculous ways, they begin to speak boldly of the powerful deeds of God to the quickly gathering crowd. Finally, Saint Peter addresses the crowd, preaching the gospel to them.
The story of Pentecost tells us three things about our work of evangelization: its method, its power-source, and its message.
#1: Pentecost Tells Us the Method of Evangelization
In Pentecost, we see a tri-fold method for evangelization. Authentic evangelization is 1) rooted in prayer; 2) a bold proclamation of the truth; and 3) many times confirmed by the Holy Spirit through miraculous signs.
- Prayerful Preparation
The Book of Acts tells us that before He ascended into heaven, Jesus told his disciples to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit that He had promised them. So for nine days, they waited and “devoted themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:12-14). If we wish to be true evangelists, we too need to devote ourselves to prayer, taking even long periods of time to spend with the Lord.
Beyond the normal, daily exercises of the spiritual life, this should include also the willingness to listen, hear, and answer the call to prayer. This might be in the midst of our daily duties, in the middle of the night, or at any time that the Lord may desire. Be ready and willing to pray when it is needed. Don’t think that you always have to wait for your regular prayer time.
If possible, you might also choose to go on a regular, spiritual retreat. - Bold Proclamation
After the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles with power, they went out and boldly proclaimed the message of salvation — the gospel kerygma — to everyone. We too must proclaim the gospel kerygma. We must proclaim the good news of salvation for the world – salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and through his gift of the Holy Spirit. - Signs and Wonders
The Apostles’ preaching was accompanied by many signs and wonders that confirmed the truth of their preaching. They spoke in foreign tongues so that all could understand them, leaving the crowds bewildered (Acts 2:5 – 13). They healed a crippled man (Acts 3:1 – 10). Sick people were healed and evil spirits driven out simply by Peter’s shadow (Acts 5:15 – 16). And even the dead were raised to life (Acts 20:7 – 12).
The gift of miracles is given to whomever the Spirit sees fit, for the purpose of building up the Church – which is precisely the work of every evangelist. Sometimes it can be hard for us modern-day Catholics and evangelists to accept that the Holy Spirit still works through signs and wonders today (see 1 Cor 12:4-11). But the Church has always taught that God bestows various extraordinary gifts — healings, prophecy, and miracles — on some of the members of His Church, especially evangelists, to confirm the preaching of the Gospel.
Practically speaking, we should value such gifts and be open to receiving them (see 1 Cor 12:31). We can look to the prayer of the disciples in Acts chapter 4 (verses 23-31) as an example of how we might pray that such signs be manifested in our work of evangelization.
#2: Pentecost Tells Us the Power-Source of Evangelization
The event of Pentecost also tells us that a great infusion of divine power by the Holy Spirit is necessary for evangelization; power that is available because of the death and resurrection of Jesus who now sits at God’s right hand. In his encyclical on evangelization, Pope Saint Paul VI wrote,
Evangelization will never be possible without the action of the Holy Spirit. … In fact, it is only after the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost that the apostles depart to all the ends of the earth in order to begin the great work of the Church’s evangelization. …
It is in the “consolation of the Holy Spirit” that the Church increases. The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church. It is He who explains to the faithful the deep meaning of the teaching of Jesus and of His mystery. It is the Holy Spirit who, today just as at the beginning of the Church, acts in every evangelizer who allows himself to be possessed and led by Him. The Holy Spirit places on his lips the words which he could not find by himself, and at the same time the Holy Spirit predisposes the soul of the hearer to be open and receptive to the Good News and to the kingdom being proclaimed.
Techniques of evangelization are good, but even the most advanced ones could not replace the gentle action of the Spirit. The most perfect preparation of the evangelizer has no effect without the Holy Spirit. … It must be said that the Holy Spirit is the principal agent of evangelization: it is He who impels each individual to proclaim the Gospel, and it is He who in the depths of consciences causes the word of salvation to be accepted and understood. …[2]
Because of all this, we should constantly ask for more of the Holy Spirit, and call upon Him. St. Paul VI continued,
We exhort all evangelizers, whoever they may be, to pray without ceasing to the Holy Spirit with faith and fervor and to let themselves prudently be guided by Him as the decisive inspirer of their plans, their initiatives and their evangelizing activity.[3]
#3: Pentecost Tells Us the Message of Evangelization
Finally, the event of Pentecost teaches us the core content of the gospel — the kerygma, the message of the evangelist. It was appropriately Saint Peter, the first Pope, who delivered this message. He began by quoting a passage from Scripture (Jl 2:28-32) familiar to his listeners, grabbing their attention, reminding them of God’s plan for the “last days.” Then he proclaimed Christ, crucified but risen and exalted at the right hand of God, culminating in these words, “Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Then there’s a clear call to action. If the listeners want to receive the “gift of the Holy Spirit,” they must repent (literally turn their lives around) and be baptized. Only then, by “the free gift of God” (see Rom 6:23), will they be delivered from the reign of sin and death and receive eternal life.
We discussed the content of the gospel kerygma at greater length in a previous lesson, Introduction to the Kerygma. See that lesson for more on the content of the kerygma.
[1] Matthias has by this time replaced Judas as the 12th apostle (Acts 1:24-26).
[2] Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi [Apostolic exhortation on evangelization in the modern world], sec. 75.
[3] Ibid.