Proclaiming the Good News

When we get to Epiphany, the season when we celebrate “showing forth”—telling others about Jesus—comes the question: celebrate it, or do it? Is it enough to recognize the season in the church year on a few Sundays? To act generally benign toward others, sort of “his life would make no sense if there were no God”? Or am I to trudge the countryside and city streets, handing out tracts and “proclaiming” the good news? Remember the last few verses of the gospel according to St. Matthew, where Jesus himself, not Paul or any other chronicler, enjoins us to spread the word? [Never mind that these verses were added years after the rest of the book, they’ve still been considered part of the Word for many centuries.] So where does that leave mes—how AM I to do this proclaiming, anyhow? Do I wear a cross? Ask out loud “What would Jesus do?” at every opportunity? Plaster a “Honk if you love Jesus” bumper sticker on my car? Do I bring him into every conversation? Is it enough to do nice things for people without expecting thanks, let alone recognition? Need I volunteer on Church committees? How does his “Great Commission” translate into what He expects of me, flowing out of my love for him as a response for his love for me? How? How?