The Life-Giving Adventure of Encounter
This past Sunday, May 16, 2021, we celebrated the 54th World Communications Day. The theme selected by Pope Francis for this year was “Come and See” (Jn 1:46). Communicating by Encountering People Where and as They Are. The Holy Father stressed in his message that encountering faith-filled people, seeing them as they are and listening to their stories, is one of the most effective ways to encounter the teachings of Jesus in our times. He concluded his message with these words:
“We have books in our hands, but the facts before our eyes,” said Saint Augustine in speaking of fulfillment of the prophecies found in sacred Scripture. So too, the Gospel comes alive in our own day, whenever we accept the compelling witness of people whose lives have been changed by their encounter with Jesus. For two millennia, a chain of such encounters has communicated the attractiveness of the Christian adventure. The challenge that awaits us, then, is to communicate by encountering people, where they are and as they are.
Encountering People Where They and As They Are by Pope Francis
The Pathways to Hope Ministry at St. John Bosco Parish in Parma Heights, Ohio, has taken the power of personal witness online in a series of videos produced by Melissa Barber a member of the ministry group and the founder of Purpose Productions. The series is called “Voices of Hope.” In these 5-6 minute videos, individuals and couples share what hope means to them and where they find hope in their lives. I posted the videos on the parish Facebook Page, website and on their Instagram account. (Full Disclosure: I manage the social media accounts and website for St. John Bosco.)
In the video below Mike and Maria share their reasons for hope:
Encountering people like Mike and Maria in person is one of the best ways to encounter the teachings of Jesus in our times. Hearing and viewing their witness in a video format like this is the next best thing.
What About You?
How are you using your online platforms to give witness to God’s love and care for each of us, no matter where we are in life?
Pope Francis ended this year’s message for World Communications Day with these lines:
Grant us the grace to recognize your dwelling places in our world and the honesty needed to tell others what we have seen.
Encountering People Where and As they are by Pope Francis
Let’s think about the people we have encountered who have witnessed faith, hope and love to us and say a prayer of gratitude for them. Let us also pray for the grace to recognize God’s presence “in our world and the honesty needed to tell others what we have seen.”
Your comments are always welcome.
