4. We are sowers of the Good News (§.69-96)

69. The core of Marcellin Champagnat’s vision of mission was "to make Jesus Christ known and loved". ¹ His saw education as the way to lead young people to the experience of personal faith and of their vocation as "good Christians and virtuous citizens". ²

70. As his followers, we assume this same mission, ³ firstly, by helping young people, whatever their faith tradition and wherever they are in their spiritual search, to grow to become people of hope and personal integrity, with a deep sense of social responsibility to transform the world around them. ⁴ This work of promoting human growth is integral to the process of evangelisation. ⁵ In promoting Gospel values, all Marist educators^* contribute to the mission of every Marist project to build God’s Reign on earth. ⁶

71. But we go further. Inspired by the words of Marcellin, "I cannot see a child without wanting to teach him catechism, to make him realise how much Jesus Christ has loved him", ⁷ we present Jesus to the young as a real person they can come to know, love, and follow. ⁸

72. In Jesus we see God. He comes among us so that we may "have life and have it to the full". ⁹ He unveils for us what it is to be fully human. ¹⁰ His words and actions address our deepest human longings. He provides healing and hope for all. He pardons sinners, reconciling all facets of their human brokenness. He welcomes the poor and those on the edges of society with a special love. He teaches us how to pray.

73. Jesus comes "to bring fire to the earth", ¹¹ denouncing instances and structures of domination, deliberately siding with the victimised. He does not accept the logic of the world. Rather he proclaims a new vision of human society which begins with loving one another, even our enemies, together sharing the bread of life, and transcending the divisions we have created of race, status, wealth, gender, or any other criteria of exclusion. ¹²

74. Jesus' death on the Cross and his resurrection as the Christ of our faith, reveals the depths of his Father’s love, of God’s power to draw good out of evil. It inspires our human hope as does no other event in human history. His Spirit continues to work in the human heart and in the social order, redeeming, liberating and reconciling. In faith we respond to God’s initiative of love in our history and we are transformed. This is the Good News of Jesus, "the Way, the Truth, and the Life". ¹³