Wheaton College, his alma mater, has a museum that tells about his life and work of evangelism at the Billy Graham Center. It's incredible to think of how far his reach stretched geographically, not to mention how he regularly interacted with important leaders all over the world.
Yet despite his influence and eloquence, it all came down to the message of Jesus Christ the Crucified and Risen Lord and His effect on the lives of those who believe in Him, which pervaded the way he lived. I remember seeing a video clip of him in New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina caused devastation in the city, and he remarked that the presence of Jesus Christ was sorely needed there. Even in a clip I saw of him a few months ago, at an advanced age, he talked about having one message, that Jesus Christ died and rose again to save.
Even as he stood before huge crowds that filled stadiums and arenas throughout the world, there was a sense of humility that imbued his powerful proclamation of the Gospel message.
His life truly sets an example for what it means to evangelize, which Bishop Robert Barron reflected on in an article on Billy Graham shortly after his death.
Truly, our lives as people of faith in Christ must necessarily aim toward proclaiming the message of God Who has saved and transformed us so that we show the world that God is at work in us.
While certainly nondenominational Evangelical churches are heavily focused in the efforts of proclaiming the Gospel message, especially as I've observed it, certainly evangelism is an important element of the life of faith for Christians of all denominations, especially in the sense that all churches should be Gospel-oriented, which is what the term "evangelism" refers to.
Lately, I've noticed important evangelistic efforts in the Roman Catholic Church, which is a rub-off of Pope Francis's urging of a new evangelization.
My Dad and Grandma for many years now have enjoyed listening to Relevant Radio, a station that broadcasters talk shows and call-in programs on Roman Catholic theology and then some. I've heard the term "evangelize" used in reference to what this station does in teaching people about the Roman Catholic faith, especially as I've started to listen to it more and more for myself in recent months.
Last month, I went to St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Orland Hills to hear renowned speaker Chris Stefanick speak at a Reboot event. He gave an inspiring talk about the greatest love story of all, that God came to save us, and furthermore, how that can impact our lives so we live them to the fullest.
I also couldn't help but notice evangelistic overtones when I attended Holy Fire at the end of last month. This annual faith gathering for students in grades 6-9, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Chicago, was held for the 3rd time this year.
One important aspect of evangelization is bringing people into an encounter with the Person of Jesus Christ, so they can actually know Him, not just know about Him.
That was an important idea emphasized in Paul Kim's keynote talk. He talked about how people don't go to church, or they're spiritual but not religious, but no matter what they say, it all comes down to the reality that they haven't encountered Jesus Christ in a real way. In light of the statistics that show large numbers of people are leaving the Church, the key to reversing this trend is helping facilitate that encounter.
The richness of the Roman Catholic tradition is that not only does preaching facilitate an encounter with Christ, but so do the sacraments, through physical elements that reflect how Christ came to Earth and took on a human body.
The weekend before Holy Fire was Confirmation day at Ascension. I spent much of Saturday, October 20, at Church for two Confirmation Masses, with lunch in between with Bishop Casey, among others. How fascinating it was to dine with someone recently ordained a Bishop and to hear about his perspectives starting out life as a bishop.
I feel Bishop Casey's homily was excellent and so well said, especially in talking about how we are people of transformation, not the status quo, doing so in the midst of community, not isolation, filled with faith and not fear. As I watched my students before Bishop Casey be sealed in the Holy Spirit, I couldn't help but marvel that truly something amazing was happening before my eyes, and will become even more amazing as the experience of Confirmation is lived out.
After the second Mass, I was talking with one of my students, and remarked how she still had a gleam on her forehead from the consecrated oil. She remarked about taking it off because it looked like she had a greasy forehead. I suggested she use her oily forehead as a tool of evangelization, a way to share about what she had been through and what it means.
I think about my experiences, especially with teaching RE, and how they serve as a means in my life to share about how my life is being lived out. It makes the anniversary of my own Confirmation, on October 15, a rich occasion for me to celebrate, and it was special to be present for my students' confirmations so close to my anniversary. Later that day, after Confirmation Masses, I spent an evening with my Uncle Bernie, who was my Confirmation sponsor. He asked me what motivated me to dedicate a vast portion of my Saturday to being at Church for two Confirmation Masses. It was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on my faith journey, and how the various pieces of it have come together to fill me with passion for a Person.
As a confirmed Roman Catholic, my life is oriented toward making God known to others, just as Billy Graham's life was, and that's why he was as important of a figure as he was.
He truly sets an example for all Christians in how to be oriented in proclaiming the Gospel message, which is the heart of who we are.
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