Go and preach!". The mission of lay people

Abstract

Lay people are no less called to proclaim the Gospel than the clergy. The forms in which they fulfill this mission are different though. Priests focus primarily on the ministry of the word and celebration of the sacraments. The lay faithful evangelize mainly through the testimony of their life based on love taught by Jesus. They are the first and most important evangelizers for their loved ones. They reach the people and environments which priests are not able to approach. The mission of the laity consists essentially of the proclamation of Christ by imitating his love that is unconditional, irrevocable, close, sacrificial to the point of death on the cross, but at the same time love that is wise and not confused with tolerance or acceptance. A special role in the evangelizing mission of lay people is served by women. Through their everyday sacrifice and love, women, compared to men, often bear more convincing witness to their faith in God, who loves, seeks and saves man.