The call to go out and spread the gospel was answered on May 21 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle during Light the City, an evening of prayer, reflection, and evangelization in Washington.
People of all ages came and participated in this special evening of welcoming, as they traveled outside of the cathedral and into the streets to invite those walking around near the church to come inside to pray.
The evening began with exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament, presided over by Cardinal Donald Wuerl. Cardinal Wuerl urged those participating in the event to use gifts of the Holy Spirit as they shared the Gospel with others. He said that spreading the Good News is as simple as asking the question, “Would you like to come?”
“Each of us brings light,” said Cardinal Wuerl, explaining that the invitation to pray, light a candle, and possibly confess bears witness to the Good News of the Lord.
Light the City was adapted from an event started at World Youth Day in 2005 called Nightfever. Stemming from the same initiative to welcome all into the church, Light the City invites everyone to come into the church for prayer and reflection.
Both Nightfever and Light the City are conducted around the world.
Before exiting the cathedral, street evangelizers gathered around the baptismal fount as a reminder of their calling since Baptism to be witnesses of Christ to the world.
Mike Owens, coordinator of evangelization initiatives for the Archdiocese of Washington, explained that evenings like Light the City invite people to encounter the Lord.
“It is our Baptismal identity to share the Gospel and invite people to know the Lord,” said Owens. “Faith isn’t private.”
The first Light the City in Washington took place in February, 2015. It has been held three times since then, continuing the mission that Pope Francis frequently: go and evangelize.
Sarah Strenio shared her experience of first participating in, and now organizing the evening as an intern in the archdiocesan evangelization office. She said the first time she participated this past February was a service to herself.
“It is important to keep saying ‘yes’ to Jesus ... you never know what’s going to happen,” Strenio said.
She stressed the importance of the faithful inviting people into a relationship with Jesus.
“Through what you are experiencing, that is where you encounter God. He uses the stuff we go through to shape who we are,” Strenio said.
Whether people are Catholic or not, all were invited into the cathedral. Deborah Van Gundy, along with her children Katharine and Kevin and son-in-law Sean – all practicing Catholics – were invited to come into the cathedral and pray by Niko and Brother Luke, two of the volunteer street evangelizers.
“When He (God) calls, you have to answer,” Van Gundy said. “It always feels nice, very peaceful.”
Van Gundy said that earlier that same day in the morning, she was praying for the guidance of her children to hear the Lord’s call.
“My prayer was answered with Brother Luke,” she said.
Stuart Wilson-Smith is a Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle (Paulists) seminarian. He said his first experience with Light the City was last September, right before Pope Francis’s visit to Washington. He noted the importance of being an available presence and having genuine interactions with those he encounters on the streets.
“Be as authentic as possible, a listening presence. Trust that Christ will show,” said Wilson-Smith.
Acknowledging that the mission to spread the Gospel may seem intimidating, WIlson-Smith stressed the importance of courage and “acknowledging the experiences people have gone through.”
“The Gospel is not a vague concept,” he said. “It can bring people out of sorrow and bring them peace.”
Owens, the archdiocesan coordinator of evangelization initiatives, said he wanted the night to be a way to answer God’s calling. “The Lord told us over and over, ‘Go. Make disciples,’” he said.
