Scroll Top
Through invitation, we welcome others to ‘come and see’
September 27, 2023

By Josh Berkovsky
Special to The Texas Catholic

A special Diocese of Dallas synod listening session for Young Adults is coming up on Oct. 3. The intention of the synod listening session is to hear the voices of the Church—this one particularly young adults between the ages of 21-35––who are not typically heard, in order to address their needs and invite them to join our community.

Today, I would like to focus on “the power of invitation.” As I reflect upon this theme of inviting others to Christ, I cannot help but ask myself, “Why do we invite?” This is not meant to start this article off with an ambiguous or cliché question by any means, but to challenge you to truly think philosophically about the subject.

Where does the innate desire to invite others originate?

We see the motif of invitation constantly throughout Scripture, especially within the New Testament. An instance that comes to mind is when Jesus gives the disciples the invitation himself to follow him in John 1. “Two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi, where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’” (John 1:37-39a)

Come and see. It is Jesus who first extends the invite to us to come and experience what he has to offer. Like the disciples, we are invited initially to encounter the Truth and let it transform our lives. Christ invites us to experience him. This personal encounter gives us the first clue to the initial question regarding the origin of our innate desire to invite. It is when we experience something that we perceive as good that compels us to share it with others.

Later in the Gospel of John, Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well and after he had revealed himself to her, she joyfully bounds to the Samaritan village to share her experience with them. The first words out of her mouth are, “Come and see.” (John 4:29) Like Jesus inviting the disciples to come and see for themselves, the woman––who after experiencing Christ herself––invites others to come, see, and share in that same experience. The Gospel writer seems to display a pattern: Jesus invites us to come, see, and experience, then we are to invite others to do the same as the woman at the well.

What is the connection between the two passages? We see Jesus first extend the invitation to us, telling us to “Come and see.” Then, like the woman at the well, we are to invite others to come and see Jesus after we experienced the joy of his presence. It is not merely experience that moves us to invite others, but the joy acquired from that experience! It is because of joy that we are so inherently compelled to invite others to share in our experiences. Brothers and sisters, we must take the joy we obtain from community, worship, adoration, Mass, etc. and invite others to come and see for themselves what they are missing.

As Catholics, it is our objective to bring others to the Fullness of Truth i.e., Christ. In order to be that vehicle of transformation for others, we must first possess joy. Without joy, we lack the boldness, excitement, and enthusiasm required to move another’s curiosity to come and see for themselves. Like the woman at the well, Christ uses us as catalysts by helping others in their journey to him. This synod listening session for Young Adults is a perfect opportunity to do just that and assist in the salvation of others by inviting them to be a part of faithful community.

We have the blessing of being able to invite those who are no longer practicing to come experience the community that we cherish with other likeminded Catholics. The synod listening session for young adults will take place on from 7-9 p.m. Oct. 3 at Community Beer Co. Not only should we participate and respect others’ responses, but also invite a friend! In doing so, let us humbly accept our roles and duties as Catholics and joyfully continue to be His hands and feet by inviting others to come and see for themselves what it means to be Catholic.

Josh Berkovsky is the coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministry at Christ the King Catholic Church.

Related Posts

Creating a framework for the future of the Diocese of Dallas Synod

The faithful have spoken. And the Church in Dallas is listening. From November to February, about 1,300 people attended a series of four catechetical sessions, which aimed to help the faithful learn more about the synodal process, its goals and ultimately how it will affect the Diocese of Dallas. The sessions, however, offered not only an opportunity to become more educated about the Diocese of Dallas Synod 2024, but also an avenue to present questions to Bishop Edward J. Burns and provide feedback about how the diocese impacts their faith lives.

23 Mar 2022
From synod sessions springs opportunities for our diocese

Having worked in parish ministry for more than a decade, I expected this synod would provide an opportunity to enter into a discussion with my peers, share my perspective and listen to other people’s experiences and hopes for the future of our Church. I had deeply held beliefs, which I felt were fairly formed from years of experiences with the institutional Church. I looked forward to discussing these issues in a safe space with other sons and daughters of the Church, whose point of views principally come from a place of love for the Church and desire to see its functioning in the world improve.

22 Mar 2022
Communication and evangelization play vital role in Church, Bishop Burns says

The role of the laity in the Church in Dallas is vital, Bishop Edward J. Burns told participants in a Diocese of Dallas Synod listening session on Communications and Evangelization on Feb. 25 at John Paul High School. 

03 Mar 2023
Listening session focuses on Sacraments and Sacramental Preparation

The faithful gathered April 15 at Holy Family of Nazareth Catholic Parish in Irving for a Diocese of Dallas Synod listening session on Sacraments and Sacramental Preparation.

19 Apr 2023
Diocese of Dallas Synod: Session engages young adults in conversation

More than 300 young adults gathered under the cozy lights of Community Beer Co. to sip beer and share their perspectives on today’s Church. This Oct. 3 synodal listening session, titled “Conversations Unfiltered: The Church and the Future,” was an opportunity for young adults, ages 21 to 35, to discuss their experience as young people within the Dallas diocese. The session was the 28th of 30.

18 Oct 2023
De la Garza: Lay leadership remains vital to our Church in Dallas

Lay leadership in the Diocese of Dallas is a critical component of our future success.

08 Oct 2023
Final listening session held as work continues for diocesan synod

A pair of decorated cakes added a celebratory spirit, but for those in attendance, a workman-like demeanor fueled discussions Oct. 21 at a Diocese of Dallas synodal listening session at Cristo Rey Dallas College Preparatory School. The gathering marked the final of 30 listening sessions over nearly two-and-a-half years, planned as part of the preparatory phase of the Diocese of Dallas Synod.  

25 Oct 2023
Father Bayer: Lay engagement in the synod and beyond

As a member of the synod preparatory commission, one of the exciting things I have seen is the synergy between clergy and laity in our diocese. Of course, we are still a pilgrim people, and the data we received from the listening sessions shows the need for further growth. Nonetheless, it has been beautiful, as a priest, to work shoulder to shoulder with so many dedicated lay people and priests on the commission and elsewhere, all of us wanting to try our best to give ourselves away for the good of the Church.

02 Nov 2023
Preparations under way for Diocese of Dallas synod assembly

In December, nearly 300 delegates from throughout the Diocese of Dallas will gather to discern a catalogue of resolutions as part of the third diocesan synod. The Diocese of Dallas Synod Assembly will be held Dec. 1-4, signaling the conclusion of the synod’s preparatory process as it transitions into its implementation phase.

22 Jul 2024
Bishop calls on delegates to embrace synodal mission

“My friends, we have work to do.” Those words are how Bishop Edward J. Burns closed a Mass for nearly 300 faithful who gathered Sept. 14 at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe for a Mass to be commissioned as delegates for the Diocese of Dallas Synod assembly later this year.

30 Sep 2024
5 things to know about the Diocese of Dallas Synod Assembly

This December, the Diocese of Dallas is preparing to enter an extraordinary phase in its history with a diocesan synod. This four-day assembly, being held Dec. 1-4, is a culmination of years of preparation, input, and discernment that brought together representatives from across the diocese to offer feedback to Bishop Edward J. Burns in his decisions on governance of the diocese. Here are five essential things to know about this historic event.

22 Nov 2024