Pope Benedict XVI tells a story about a clown who runs into a village, crying out that the circus is on fire. He jumps, shouts, and pleads for help—but the more he yells, the more they laugh. They can’t see beyond his costume, so they ignore him.
Then comes the punch line.
Pope Benedict says the modern Christian is the clown!
We’re trying to share the most important message of all: Salvation in Jesus. Yet many can’t hear it because they’re already convinced that God has no relevance in modern life. So like the clown, the more we yell, the more they laugh.
But the problem doesn’t stop there.
In Christifideles Laici, JPII actually takes Benedict’s point a little further. He points out that even our own Catholic communities can often assume that God is irrelevant to everyday life. It can be just as hard to share the Gospel in our parishes and dioceses as it is in society!
This can be discouraging. But JPII’s response is clear: “Do not be afraid! This is the moment for re-evangelization!”
What does that mean for us? It means being a witness.
Re-evangelization isn’t just about finding more words or stronger arguments for the Christian life—it’s about living it so authentically that our very lives remind the Church and the world that the Gospel matters!
And this starts by looking inward.
How can I more fully embrace God’s reality and relevance in my everyday life? What practical changes does this invite me to make in my family, relationships, and work?
There’s no silver bullet for re-evangelization—no magic plan or argument.
But there is our witness. And JPII says that if the Gospel really informs EVERYTHING about our life then we ourselves will become “a most shining and convincing testimony.”