Life in Christ is beautiful

Sixth Sunday of Easter – A – May 17, 2020

When encouraging people to evangelize and be public about their Christian faith, some will quote a verse from today’s second reading: “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope” (1 Pt 3:15). When people ask, we absolutely must back up our wordless witness with actual words, explicitly saying why we believe in Christ.

However, sometimes we can go a little too far into the fervor category. In the past, you might have seen this in a street corner preacher with their bullhorn and signs about hell. Or you might encounter someone at a family gathering or social event who uses their faith to boost themselves up while putting others down.

Nowadays, you might find this attitude online in social media feeds or news stories where passionate Christians preach Jesus’s gospel—a gospel of love—while not being very loving themselves as they do it.

Life in Christ is beautiful, and evangelization needs to attract others to the truth of that beauty. But disrespect, bullying, and meanness are never beautiful. The very next verse in this passage is the key to ensuring our words and deeds reflect the gospel’s beauty. When you preach, “do it with gentleness and reverence.” Then others will see and hear and be drawn to the goodness of Christ.