St. Paul teaches us that in baptism we die with Christ, in baptism we are resurrected with Christ, in baptism we are initiated into Christ, in baptism we are initiated into the body of Christ-His Church, in baptism we are initiated into His redemptive work of salvation. In baptism we be- come disciples of followers of Christ.
An essential mission of the Church and all the baptized is evangelization, that is, to proclaim His Gospel (the Good News) in word and deed in the routine of our daily life. Therefore, when we gather to worship God in the Liturgy of the Word and the Eucharist, when we teach others to know Christ Jesus through acts of charity and justice, through acts of random kindness, com- passion and mercy, we carry on Jesus’ mission of transforming the world in God’s love.
When two people come to the Church for the mystery of crowning (the sacrament of marriage), what they are saying to us is that they no longer want to fulfill their baptismal commitment to follow Jesus Christ as single individuals but together as one in Christ as they stand before God, the altar of God, the priest of God, and the people of God in the house if God. The mystery of crowning (the sacrament of marriage) is central to our call to evangelization because it draws the married couple into a more intimate relationship with God.
Through their committed love and God’s grace, they actually become channels of God’s love to each other. They continue God’s work of creation by being open to the gift of children. The care (food, clothing, shelter and education) and the training that is central to parenting, whish are corporal and spiritual works of mercy, are all works of evangelization as children grow to become disciples of Jesus Christ. Their Christian identities, consciences and virtues are formed by daily family interactions.
Parents, in turn, are evangelized by their children, as they love and sacrifice for them and by the love and life they receive back from their children. Through shared prayer and faith sharing all grow in their relationship with God.
Married couples also mutually encourage and support each other in their work, social, civic, Church activities and extend family responsibilities by living a covenant relationship the whole of their life. By doing this in a spirit of Christian charity, they are truly signs to each other and to the world of God’s presence, faithfulness and love. In all of this, they become miniature evangelizing churches.