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A WORD FROM THE PASTOR
One Heartfelt Invitation
A parishioner once noticed a young mother at the grocery store who always looked overwhelmed. One day she simply said, "If you ever need a place to breathe or pray, our church would love to have you. You can even sit with me."
The young mother's eyes filled with tears. "I've been wanting to come back to church for years," she said. "I just didn't know how to start." She came the next Sunday, joined a small group, had her child baptized, and became part of our parish family. All because of one heartfelt invitation.
In the Gospel, John the Baptist reminds us that evangelization is not only welcoming those who arrive-it is also going out to meet others with courage, compassion, and joy.
Most traditional parishes do something very well: what we might call sponge evangelism. A sponge is soft, welcoming, and absorbent, it gently receives whatever comes to it, just as we warmly receive those who walk through our doors. We gladly greet visitors with smiles, ushers help them find a place to sit, and parishioners make them feel at home. This hospitality is beautiful and essential.
But there is another form of evangelization gaining attention today: octopus evangelism. An octopus is a sea creature with eight flexible arms that reach out in many directions, and the image reminds us of evangelization that actively extends itself-inviting, seeking, and drawing others in. It seeks those who may not yet realize how deeply they need the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
Many modern churches practice this well-especially mega-churches. Mega-churches are very large Christian congregations, usually drawing 2,000 or more people each week, often non-denominational, and known for Bible teaching, contemporary worship, and strong outreach. Their growth has little to do with buildings or technology and far more to do with one simple thing: members personally inviting others.
Nearly 80% of first-time visitors come because a friend or neighbor extended an invitation. The active verbs-inviting, reaching, gathering-make all the difference. A little-known fact: over 25% of mega-church members are former Catholics, many of whom were never personally invited into deeper parish life.
In today's Gospel, we meet John the Baptist practicing his own form of "octopus evangelization." He does not sit back passively. He reaches out boldly, touches hearts, calls people to repentance, and prepares them for Christ.
As we reflect on his example, let us ask:
† Whom might I reach out to this week?
† Whom can I invite to encounter Jesus more deeply-whether at Mass, in prayer, or simply through my friendship?
May the Holy Spirit stretch our hearts and our hands so that we, too, may draw others toward the life-changing love of Christ.
In the Service of the Lord,
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