9 January
Irresistible Questions

Above all the Gospel must be proclaimed by witness. Take a Christian or a handful of Christians who, in the midst of their own community, show their capacity for understanding and acceptance, their sharing of life and destiny with other people, their solidarity with the efforts of all for whatever is noble and good. Let us suppose that, in addition, they radiate in an altogether simple and unaffected way their faith in values that go beyond current values, and their hope in something that is not seen and that one would not dare to imagine. Through this wordless witness these Christians stir up irresistible questions in the hearts of those who see how they live: Why are they like this? Why do they live in this way? What or who is it that inspires them? Why are they in our midst?… The above questions will ask, whether they are people to whom Christ has never been proclaimed, or baptized people who do not practice, or people who live as nominal Christians but according to principles that are in no way Christian, or people who are seeking, and not without suffering, something or someone whom they sense but cannot name.

Pope Paul VI

Evangelii nuntiandi 21

(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)

1月9日
不可抗拒的问题

看,一位基督徒或一个基督徒团体,在他们所生活的团体中,有能力理解和接纳,与他人分享生命和目标,并支持所有人为追求圣善美好所做的一切努力。此外,他们以一种单纯及自发的方式在超现世的价值上表现出他们的信仰,以及在眼所未见和人不敢想象的事上所怀的希望。
这些基督徒,通过这类无言的见证和生活,会在周围人的心中引发起无法回避的问题:他们为什么会这样呢?为何他们如此生活?什么或是谁启发他们呢?为什么他们来到我们中间? ……
以上的问题可能是很多非基督徒首先所提出的问题,他们可能从来没有听说过基督,或是受过洗而冷淡的教友,或只是名义上的教友,生活在基督徒团体中却只依照非基督徒的原则行事,或那些痛苦地在寻求的人,他们在寻求可以感觉出,但不能命名的事物或超性的那一位。

教宗保禄六世

《在新世界中传福音》劝谕 21