Are You Ready to Proclaim the Gospel?

24 Wednesday Sep 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Uncategorized

Tags

Believe in the Gospel, Charlie Kirk, Evangelization, Gospel, Grace, Kerygma, Mk 1:15, OCIA, Proclamation, Salvation of souls, Truth

There is a movement going on. In the wake of the assassination of Christian influencer and “almost, but not yet, Catholic”, Charlie Kirk, many folks in the U.S. have jumped off the fence into the greener pasture of Christianity, and many have gravitated to the Catholic Church. Yet, while Kirk’s death might be a catalyst for the conversion of many, this movement to return to morality and a spiritual life – or, in other words, a relationship with Jesus that satisfies more than relative worldly pleasures – has been developing for a while. For three consecutive years our little parish has experienced a record number of adults and youths entering our OCIA process and desiring to become Catholic. This year we have 56 catechumens and candidates enrolled, more than the last two years combined.

As always, we have some who are choosing to become Catholic because their spouse or fiancee’ is Catholic. Some have been influenced by friends, and some have decided their Protestant services are not fulfilling them. But the majority are making the decision because they know there is something more to life, and specifically to a life of faith, than they’ve been experiencing. They are searching for truth….and they are in the right place!

Just as we would react to a change in the weather forecast, we should prepare ourselves for this spiritual shift in our culture because the likelihood of being asked about our faith is increasing. Instead of asking, “What will I wear for tomorrow’s weather?”, we should be asking, “What will I say when someone asks me why I am a Christian or, more specifically, Catholic?”, and, “Will I be convincing?”. Another’s conversion may depend totally on our response.

In today’s Scripture passage, the verse before the Gospel is from Mark 1:15. They are the very first words Jesus says when he begins His Galilean ministry: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” ….Believe in the gospel! If one of these people seeking to know more about your faith asks you, “What does it mean to believe in the gospel?”, would you be able to answer them? If not, don’t feel alone. I suspect eight out of ten Catholic Christians may also be stumped. But, don’t you think you should be able to provide a satisfactory explanation?

In his homily on Sunday, September 21st, Fr. Mike Schmitz gave us a four-part recipe to answer these questions. “This is the Gospel”, he says:

That God is good and made the world good, and made us in His image and likeness;

We freely chose to break the world with our sin, but God did not abandon us;

He sent His only begotten Son so that we could have eternal life;

And, we respond to that in faith and put our trust in Him, the One who has entrusted us with all of His grace so that we could have new life.

This is the truth, the reason for our faith. It’s what it’s all about. This is the kerygma, the essence of the proclamation of the Gospel. To effectively evangelize, we should commit these four points to memory. Will you do that? Write it on a sticky note. Repeat it daily until it becomes rote. Then look for opportunities to share it with others. You may just save a soul.

“Generous God, if I learn and remember nothing else from today, help me to commit the kerygma to memory, to live in accordance with it, and proclaim it at every opportunity. Your words are infinitely and eternally more important than any news headline, any sports team’s statistics, or the intriguing messiness of a celebrities life. If proclaimed, they may effect the salvation of someone’s soul. May I have the grace to deliver them. Amen.”

(Are You Ready to Proclaim the Gospel? was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

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A Prayer for Continued Progress

04 Thursday Sep 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Prayer

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Body of Christ, church, Colossians 1:9-14, Faith, Grace, Holiness, Meditation, Prayer, Resolution, Scripture

A reflection on Colossians 1:9-14

The first Scripture reading for today is from Colossians and, in my New American Bible, it’s labeled, “Prayer for Continued Progress”. In it, St. Paul affirms that he and Timothy continue to pray for the Church in Colossae for growth in holiness. My first thought as I read this was that it is a great prayer to say for the men to whom I serve as their Spiritual Mentor. And then I thought why limit it to just those ten men, why not pray it for all my friends and all the faithful in my parish? Then, why stop there, why not pray it for the entire body of Christ?

Thinking I had just determined what my resolution would be for today to do God’s will, I began to wrap up my prayer time. But then the thought came to me, what if someone else is praying this same prayer and it is me who is the object of their prayer? Am I doing all that they are desiring of me for growth in holiness? With that, I had to reopen my Bible and read the passage again from a personal point of view.

“Therefore, from the day we heard this, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding…” (v.9).

Do I know His will for me? Can I articulate it? Do I spend time daily in prayer discerning His will and resolving to do it that day?

“…to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing [to Him]…” (v.10a)

Do I live my life in a manner that is worthy of Jesus and in a way that pleases Him?

“…in every good work bearing fruit…” (v.10b)

Do my actions and the way I live my faith bear fruit for the Kingdom? Am I doing what I need to do to bring Jesus to others or bring others to Jesus?

“…and growing in the knowledge of God…” (v.10b)

Do I consistently make the effort to grow in understanding my faith and grow in my relationship with the Lord? Do I have a good grasp of our Catechism and knowledge of the saints?

“…strengthened with every power, in accord with His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy…” (v.11)

Do I receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist regularly so as to be strengthened to face the trials of day to day life, to be patient and humble when things don’t go my way, and yet find joy in not only the process but the outcome?

“…giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.” - (v.12)

Am I grateful for all that God has given me, even those things which I did not choose, didn’t like, and couldn’t change because He knew them to be in my best interest?

“He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” - (vv. 13-14)

Do I believe and accept that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was for my redemption, that He has forgiven my sins, and do I attempt to lead a sinless life but repent when I fall short?

Wow! That was an exercise I hadn’t planned on today! A line from a Jerry Jeff Walker song, “The hardest thing for a man to do is look inside and see the truth about himself” easily came to mind. Yeah, there are some things I do better than others, but I really need to work on a couple of these.

In reading this passage, what is God putting on your heart to ask yourself? What can you work on today to grow in holiness?

“Generous and loving God, thank You for letting me see how I can use Your Word in today’s Scripture for not only the benefit of others but my own as well. I pray for the grace to work and improve on the one or two that need prompt attention. Amen.”

(A Prayer for Continued Progress was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Be Like the Thessalonians

25 Monday Aug 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 1 Thessalonians 8-10, Faith, Mass, Mt 23:13-22, Talk the Walk, Virtue, Walk the Talk

In today’s first reading, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10, St. Paul and company praise the Thessalonians for not only proclaiming the gospel to people in other cities and cultures, but for living lives of virtue that exemplify their faith. This contrasts with today’s gospel, Mt 23:13-22, in which Jesus castigates the Pharisees and Scribes for their hypocrisy, for saying one thing and doing another, thus leading the people down a path of confusion that replaced worship of God with worshipping God’s gifts.

As faithful of Christians that we are, we can too easily fall into the same trap as the Pharisees and Scribes. We can be seen going to church every Sunday, sitting in the pews and following the rubrics, yet let distractions keep us from fully participating in the Mass with our inner eye on the sacrifice that is taking place in front of us – the real reason we are there. But, even if our full attention is focused on Jesus during the Mass, we may live separate and disconnected lives once we walk out the doors. Or, we may do all the right things and live virtuous lives, but still fail to proclaim our faith in words.

If we are to truly live our faith and spread the gospel as Jesus instructed us, we should endeavor to connect all the pieces together: what others see in us and what they hear from us. We need to walk the talk and talk the walk like the Thessalonians. We could ask ourselves, “If St. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy were observing me today, could they say the same about me as they did to the Thessalonians? Have my actions become such a rote habit that I’ve lost the real meaning of Mass and purpose for worship, that is, to not only receive the Gift, but to worship the Giver of the Gift? Am I experiencing the joy and thanksgiving in my faith that is necessary for others to want some of what I have? Am I loving my ‘neighbor’ and desiring their good by helping them establish a relationship with the One Who truly loves them for who they are?”

Maybe take a few moments and spend time with Jesus in prayer, asking Him what He thinks you can do to be more like the Thessalonians.

“Heavenly Father, today’s Psalm reminds me to sing songs of praise of You, the One Who loves me and takes delight in me, Your creation. May I never forget the sacrifice of love You made for me. Help me, Lord, to walk the talk and talk the walk so that others may come to praise you as well. Amen.”

(Be Like the Thessalonians was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Be Magnanimous Like Mary

15 Friday Aug 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Bible Reflections, Faith, Gratitude, Mary

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Blessed Virgin Mary, Evangelization, God, Holiness, Humility, Jesus, Luke 1:39-56, Magnanimity, Magnanimous, Magnificat, Mary, Mercy, The Assumption of the Virgin Mary

The Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Peter Paul Rubens, cir. 1616-1618; Wikimedia commons

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, honoring the day our Blessed Mother was taken into heaven, body and soul, at the end of her earthly life. The Gospel today, Luke 1:39-56 recounts Mary’s visit to Elizabeth (vv 39-45), and Mary’s response to Elizabeth’s greeting, her Magnificat (vv 46-55).

As I listened to the gospel being read at Mass this morning, I found myself marveling at Mary’s magnanimity. Here was a young woman, pregnant, who had just walked or rode a donkey nearly a hundred miles over several days, weary and probably hungry, and her humility still allowed her to express her joy and gratitude to God for the special gift she’d been given. Hers was the greatest gift that God could possibly give, the honor, but tremendous responsibility, of bearing His only Son. I wondered why we have difficulty recognizing and being grateful for the amazing gifts God gives to us, and being magnanimous in expressing that gratitude to others.

Mary begins her Canticle saying, “My soul magnifies the greatness of the Lord” (v46). How often do we proclaim the greatness of the Lord?

She continues,“My spirit rejoices in God my savior.” (v47). Would a casual observer say that our spirit is rejoicing in God our savior?

“He has looked upon His handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.” (v48). Do we realize that we are blessed to be His beloved in spite of our brokenness?

“The Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name.” (v49) Do we give credit to God for all the good things he has done for us in our lives?

“His mercy is from age to age to those who fear Him.” (v50). Do we love God enough to turn to Him in reconciliation and let His mercy flow over us, absolving us of our sins?

Because of her humility, God chose Mary to be the one to bring Jesus to us, you and me. It’s her role, too, to bring us to Jesus. Being the loving Mother that she is, she’s giving us an example of how we should live our lives, to be magnanimous like her.

Think about it and resolve to grow in this virtue. Not only will you grow in holiness, but it can be a simple and effective way to evangelize others by letting them experience your joy.

“Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus, whom you gifted to us through Your beloved Mary. Help us to emulate her humility by being grateful for all the wonderful gifts you give us each day even though we do not deserve them, especially the gift of the Holy Eucharist. We are not worthy to have You enter under our roof, yet you give us Yourself in that Blessed Sacrament. Mary, Cause of Our Joy, pray for us! Amen.”

(Be Magnanimous Like Mary was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Are You an Average Catholic?

20 Sunday Jul 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Catacombs of St. Calixtus, Do Not Be Afraid, Do Not Fear, Evangelization, Faith, Fear, Jubilee Year of Hope, Martyrdom, Mt 5:10-12, Pilgrimage, Rome, St. Agnes, St. Bartholomew, St. Emerenziana, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. Peter's, St. Sebastian

For eight days from June 26th through July 3rd, I had the pleasure of being on pilgrimage to Rome, Italy along with three other parish Directors of Evangelization, and five from our Archdiocese Center for New Evangelization. This being the Jubilee Year of Hope, as well as having a new pope, made it a special trip. A particularly special occasion was being able to celebrate Mass inside St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica on the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul with Pope Leo XIV as celebrant.

St. Peter’s Basilica altar baldacchino, by Bernini.

This was my second pilgrimage to Rome, the first being in 2019. Of course, when you go to Rome, you have to visit the major cathedrals and basilicas in and around the Vatican. We visited St. Peter’s, St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, and St. Paul Outside the Walls, all marvelous examples of renaissance architecture and elaborate baroque sculpture and art. It truly is beautiful beyond words! However, this year, it was astoundingly beautiful because it is a jubilee year and a boat load of money was spent cleaning and polishing everything. The skill of the artists, sculptors, and craftsmen, men like Michelangelo, Raphael, Bernini, and so many others, is purely mind blowing!

Domed apse of St. Paul Outside the Walls

It is beautiful, no doubt, but unless you make notes in a journal, It’s almost impossible to remember where a photograph was taken. And after three or four days of gawking at the grandeur, it all started to run together. I began to wonder why I was there, what was God’s plan for me? Was it just to be impressed with the beauty? No, there had to be more. The underlying purpose of our pilgrimage was to go deeper in our faith so that we would be inspired to encourage people in our parishes to better evangelize. Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling any special inspiration. So, each day I prayed for an answer to my question, “Why am I here?”

St. Bartholomew holding a knife representing his martyrdom by being filleted alive, at St. John Lateran

One morning we visited the catacombs of St. Calixtus, where, in the 2nd through 4th centuries, nearly a half million Christians were buried, a majority of whom were martyred for opting to profess rather than deny their faith. It was their courageous faith that convinced so many Roman pagans to convert even knowing that they might be the next to be executed. As we meandered through a small portion of the 20 kilometers of underground corridors that were lined with now vacant graves stacked eight to ten high, it was easy to imagine the persecutions they endured and all the hideous and creative ways they were tortured.

On our last day in Rome we ventured into the city center and visited several minor basilicas within a couple block radius of Piazza Navona, an oval plaza that was once a center for Roman foot and chariot races, as well as for putting Christians to death. On the piazza sits the minor basilica of St. Agnes, a smaller church but still beautifully adorned with magnificent paintings and sculptures, but specifically of martyrs.

Altarpiece of St. Agnes in flames, by Ercole Ferrara, 1660.

The church is dedicated to St. Agnes, the 3rd century 12-year old virgin who refused to abandon her faith and succumb to the advances of prominent Roman men. She was martyred by beheading after attempts to burn her at the stake were unsuccessful. Also honored are St. Emerenziana, Agnes’ sister who was stoned to death for opposing the pagans who were trying to prevent Agnes’ body from being buried; St. Sebastian, a converted Roman soldier who was martyred by being shot through with arrows but not killed, and then thrown into the sewers where he died; and St. Cecilia, a young girl who was discovered to be a Christian and was beheaded.

Altarpiece of St. Sebastian, by Pietro Paolo Fields, 1719

There, before the statues and relics of St. Agnes and these other martyred saints, with tears running down my cheeks, my prayer was answered. With unbelievable awe and respect for these martyred faithful men, women, and children, the Holy Spirit convinced me that I was there to fully comprehend what it means to not be afraid to profess one’s faith, so that I could help others to not be afraid.

There, in the moment, I was struck by the relative comparison between these martyrs who risked and sacrificed their lives, and the average Catholic in our world today. How many Catholics refrain from saying grace before dinner at a restaurant because of what other people might think? Too many. How many will not say “God bless you!” to a stranger and mean it because they’re afraid of confrontation? Again, too many. How many are afraid of being questioned about their faith because they know they haven’t done what they should do to be properly catechized? Way too many. How many are willing to risk asking someone who is obviously hurting if they can pray for them? Not too many, but too few. I don’t mean to judge, but generally speaking, we are weak in our faith. So many have forgotten, if they ever actually knew, what it means to be Christian. Jesus said,

“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” (Mt 5:10-12)

Those early Christians – St. Agnes, St. Cecilia, St. Sebastian, St. Emerenziana, and all the martyrs in the catacombs of St. Calixtus – died with hope, hope in the glory of heaven. They understood it so well that they embraced the prospect of being persecuted and put to death by torturing far worse than a disapproving glance from the diners at the next table over.

Sadly, I get it. Been there, done that, and got the t-shirt. But thankfully it doesn’t fit me any more because I’ve learned it’s not hard to overcome that fear. In fact, the mere chance that I might cause another to ask me about my faith far outweighs the risk. So, just start. Start small and go from there. If someone sneers at you for thanking God for the food you are about to receive, just smile at them and thank the Lord for them, too. Trust in the Lord to be with you, and pray that you might be the one to inspire someone else to turn to Jesus.

Remember His words, “Do not fear!” And resolve to ask yourself every now and then, “Am I just an average Catholic?”, for, if you are to fear anything, it is just that.

“Loving Father, thank You for the gift of faith and for the fortitude to protect and defend that gift. Nevertheless, You and I know that I need constant strengthening. May I receive that grace every time I receive You in the Holy Eucharist, remembering the sacrifice You made for me. I ask You Lord, and all the holy martyrs in heaven, to help me and all Your faithful to demonstrate our faith with courage and zeal. Amen.”

“Are You an Average Catholic?”was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Practice Makes Perfect

10 Thursday Jul 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Apostles, Evangelization, Faith, Faith sharing, Friendship, Jesus, Mt 10:1-7, Small group

In yesterday’s gospel, Mt 10:1-7, Jesus sent his apostles on mission to announce that the kingdom of heaven is near. He specifically told them to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel rather than to pagan territory and Samaritan towns. This is in contrast to his instructions in Mt 28:19 when, after his resurrection, he commands them to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…”. In both cases, Jesus is telling them, and us, to evangelize. But why the difference?

It seems as though Jesus is giving the twelve a chance to practice evangelizing to those, who, unlike the pagans, already knew the teachings of the law of Moses and the prophets and would be more receptive to their message. He knew that taking the Word to all nations would be much more difficult. They needed to start slow and hone their skills along the way.

There is a message here for all of us, too, who, through our baptism, are also obligated to be evangelists on mission. We need to continuously increase our knowledge and understanding of our faith, and become more skillful at professing it, before we can expect to be proficient at making disciples of all nations. We need to begin with baby steps.

The best way to do this is to spend time with our friends in conversation about our faith, discussing the message of the gospel and what it is saying to us. I’m sure the apostles spent time together out of earshot from Jesus discussing all that they were learning, and sharing what it meant to them. By sharing our thoughts and insights in small faith sharing groups, or faith-based conversations over a meal with friends, we strengthen our faith and grow in virtue, and are better prepared to articulate to others His message of salvation.

I’m sure your parish offers opportunities to gather with other men and women in small faith-sharing groups and Bible studies at which you can safely share what it is that you hear God saying to you, and listen to and learn from others about the graces they receive through prayer and service. But, you don’t have to depend on your parish to organize groups or meetings. You can simply start from scratch by inviting friends to your house for a meal, spend a relaxing Sunday afternoon getting to know each other better, and interjecting faith based conversation into the experience. Do this enough and it will become second nature. Whether you realize it or not, you will be evangelizing each other. And, you will eliminate the fear that accompanies the prospect of evangelizing to people you don’t know.

“Lord Jesus, thank You for giving me insight into how to become a more effective evangelist, and for Your patience while I learn. You know I can’t go from zero to sixty in three seconds, but need space and time to accelerate slowly. You gave Your Apostles three years and even then they hesitated. I pray for the grace to grab hold of the opportunities to evangelize when You place them before me. Amen.”

(Practice Makes Perfect was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

What Month Is It, Anyway?

26 Monday May 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

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Baptism, Confirmation, Devotion, Discipleship, Evangelization, Faith, Good News, Jesus, Mental Health Awareness, Mission, Proclaim the Gospel Message

The Catholic Church’s liturgical seasons fall more or less the same time every year. Advent in December, and Christmas the last week of December through the middle of January. Lent usually starts in late February and runs into April. The 50 days of Easter takes us into late May or early June. Then, we also have months with special devotions: May to the Blessed Virgin Mary, October to the Rosary, and November to the Saints and the souls in purgatory.

In the U.S., every month is also set aside to promote awareness to various other worthy causes, e.g., Human Trafficking Awareness Month in January, and Suicide Prevention Month in September. Some months celebrate less serious interests such as National Ice Cream Month in July, and Zombie Awareness month in May.

The month of May is also devoted to Mental Health Awareness. Yesterday, as in each Sunday Mass this month, one of the petitions mentioned was for all those suffering from mental health issues. Certainly, this is something we should all pray for. Our collective prayers are a type of spiritual social outreach. But it occurred to me there is a petition that I’ve never heard mentioned at my parish church or any other church I’ve ever been to in all my travels – a petition for the faithful to evangelize.

Evangelization is the central mission of the Church. The proclamation of the Gospel – the saving message of who Jesus is and what He has done for us – is a responsibility we all have by virtue of our baptism and confirmation. Unfortunately, there are so few who actually take that responsibility seriously. If we believe our prayers will be heard for those with mental health issues, or for any special interest, then shouldn’t we believe that our prayers for the faithful to muster up the courage to evangelize will be efficacious, as well? A simple petition such as, “For all the faithful, that they evangelize by proclaiming the Gospel, let us pray…” will at least remind everyone of their role. Or, we can get bold, and amp it up a notch with, “For each and every baptized Catholic to honor their responsibility by evangelizing at least one person this month and bring them to Jesus, or deeper in their relationship with Him, let us pray…”

If we want to follow and obey our Lord, we have to spread the Good News. Every month of the year should be Catholic Evangelization Month! It is that important, not only for the salvation of the souls of those being evangelized, but our own, as well.

“Good and gracious Lord, thank You for loving me. Please help me and each and every one of the baptized faithful bring others to know Your amazing love, also. Help us to realize the grace of Fortitude that was bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit at our Confirmations so that we may be effective evangelizers. Amen.”

(What Month Is It, Anyway?was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Trophies and Spiritual Atrophy

21 Wednesday May 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

8th Grade graduation, Adult Faith Formation, Confirmation, Evangelization, Faith, Holiness, OCIA, Spiritual Atrophy, trophies, Vice, Virtue, Youth Faith Formation

As I’m writing this, our parish school’s 8th grade class is having its graduation ceremony. I’m sure our gym is filled with proud parents hardly believing their “baby” boys and girls will soon be high school freshmen; and those same sons and daughters, while also proud and excited, may be having some separation anxiety knowing that they and their friends will disperse to either our public high school or one of four or five nearby Catholic high schools.

This has been a big year for these youths. Tonight’s graduation is only two months after they received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Unfortunately, many of them will consider their Confirmation to be synonymous with their “Catholic graduation”. Now that they’re confirmed, they see no need for any additional catechesis, scripture study, or even prayer. Many will begin to exhibit the onset of spiritual atrophy, and in four years, when they go on to college, many will cease practicing their faith.

Yesterday I attended a conference on evangelization at a nearby Catholic church which also has a school. During a break I ventured into the hallway outside the meeting room and saw that school’s trophy case. There were years of trophies representing championships and tournament wins for volleyball, basketball, soccer and other sports. There were photographs, autographed volleyballs, and plaques with player’s names. And as I admired this memorabilia, I wondered how many of those student athletes still practice their faith. I thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice if a school had a trophy case that celebrated the graduates who continued to practice their faith in the years to come? Perhaps they could display bronze medals or plaques for those who continued to be faithful for five years on, silver for ten years, and gold for twenty-five years.”

I was quick to tell myself, though, that the attrition in the faithful is not completely the fault of our Catholic schools or youth faith formation catechists. Sure, some could be better. They probably can improve at helping students build a loving and meaningful relationship with Jesus, a faith foundation upon which they will continue to build virtuous lives. But, of course, there are other factors, as well, such as the pressures of the predominant secular culture that easily leads youths and young adults down paths of vice.

And, then, there are the parents – what role have they played in instilling a strong faith in their children? While it’s not a parent’s job to get their kids to heaven, it is their job, and in their control, to give their kids holy parents. Have they provided an attractive example of how an adult lives a life of holiness? Again, I checked myself so as to not put too much blame on the parents. Many have good intentions. The problem may not be with a lack of desire to lead their children deeper in faith, but that they can’t lead them past the point at where they are themselves.

I couldn’t help but see the hand of God in these thoughts. There I was at a conference on how to evangelize adults, and because of a simple trophy case, I became fully aware that none of this is the kids fault, rather it is an adult problem. Somewhere along the line we’ve lost the connection that the only way our children will develop and maintain a healthy life of faith is if us adults teach, guide, mentor and reinforce what that life looks like. The teachers, the youth catechists, and the parents are all adults, and while youth faith formation is important, it is secondary to adult faith formation. And to form adults who will form our youths, we need adult evangelists who will step forward and fill this void. We need catechists for OCIA, competent leaders for Bible studies, willing facilitators to participate in adult faith formation programs, and spiritual mentors who will guide other adults to living lives of deeper prayer that will help them grow in holiness.

I went back into the conference after the break with a renewed sense of determination. I know I don’t have all the answers, but as our parish’s Director of Evangelization, there is an onus that goes with wearing that hat, a responsibility to put into place ways to lead people into a deeper relationship with Jesus that will move them along the pathway from minimal maintenance to missionary discipleship.

“Heavenly Father, I give You thanks for your trust in me, that my participation will bear fruit for Your Kingdom. Inspire me, Lord, to evangelize other men and women to be Your disciples who will lead others closer to You. And I pray that You will put in the lives of our children who have fallen away from the faith someone who will inspire them and bring them home. Amen.”

Curious Like Nicodemus

29 Tuesday Apr 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 1 Comment

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christianity, Evangelization, Faith, Fear, Friendship, Grace, Jesus, Jn 3:1-15, Nicodemus, Prayer

Jesus and Nicodemus, Crijn Hendricksz Volmarijn, c. early 1600s

The Gospels for yesterday and today (Jn 3:1-15), put us in the scene with Jesus and the renowned Pharisee, Nicodemus, who came to Jesus under the cover of darkness to ask questions about his ministry. We are led to believe that Nicodemus must have seen or heard of Jesus’ healing miracles and wanted to learn more about him. We know that Nicodemus eventually converted to be a secret follower of Jesus, so we can surmise that his curiosity was genuine and not a ploy to trap Jesus.

The fact that he came to meet Jesus at night may also give us a clue about his intentions. A nighttime rendezvous would be less conspicuous. If he was genuinely interested about Jesus, he may have feared being observed by other Pharisees that could result in his condemnation and rejection. In his position, he would have accumulated wealth that supported a luxurious lifestyle, which would have been jeopardized if his clandestine meeting had been discovered.

When I placed myself in this scene, I pondered Nicodemus’ motive and his dilemma. He had to satisfy his curiosity for truth, but the answer could result in his ruin. His fear of the environment and exterior influences would ultimately cause him to lead a secret and unfulfilled life.

There are millions of Nicodemuses in our world today – men, women, and teens, who are searching for truth, who are curious about Christianity, and who would like to know more but, because of negative social influences, balk at publicly asking questions for fear of what others will think or what they might lose. They are hiding out there in our workplaces, our schools, and our neighborhoods. We should be looking and waiting for them with intentionality, ready to answer their questions and allay their fears.

When a modern day Nicodemus does muster the courage to step out and seek answers, he may simply want to learn more about Jesus, or he’s aware that there’s possibly a different set of beliefs and a better way to live than he’s ever experienced. His curiosity may manifest itself by privately asking questions to a Christian friend or acquaintance. When he does, he is giving us an opportunity to evangelize, and we need to respond utilizing good listening skills. His questions may be phrased in ways that hide their real intent, and we may have to look behind the words. We should not make stuff up, nor answer questions with excess theology. He needs simple answers, and if we don’t know an answer, we should say so and endeavor to find the answer for him. We should try to avoid vocabulary that is foreign to non-Catholics.

Like Nicodemus, his questions may appear antagonistic but probably aren’t meant to be so. Instead, they are likely due to his personal cynicism and relativism that has developed over years. He’s not ready to reveal that he’s on any kind of spiritual quest. He is curious but cautious, and still needs to feel safe and unthreatened when asking questions. We should respond in a friendly manner to increase the trust that has allowed him to ask questions in the first place.

Our gentle evangelizing should have an eye towards bringing this person from a a place of curiosity to being open to exploring the idea that God is a personal God rather than a concept, and that we can have a relationship with Him. We can introduce him to Jesus and the story of His passion, death, and resurrection in atonement for our sins. And we should be patient and pray for him, being grateful that, while he may not yet be making a commitment to spiritual or personal change, he no longer rejects the idea.

“Heavenly Father, I thank You for the virtue of fortitude given to me with my Confirmation that has prepared me to proclaim the saving message of salvation of Your Son, Jesus. May I ever be vigilant and prepared to welcome anyone who is curious about our Christian faith. I pray that Your Spirit affords me the grace to respond to them lovingly with humility and gentleness. Amen.”

(Curious Like Nicodemuswas first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

The Lord’s Supper

18 Friday Apr 2025

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Bible Reflections

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Christ's Passion, Easter, Eucharist, Evangelization, Fear, Hope, Jesus, Mass, The Last Supper, The Lord's Supper, The Resurrection, The Twelve Apostles

I attended our parish’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper tonight and, as always, it was especially beautiful and reverent. During the reading of the Gospel (Jn 13:1-15), I envisioned myself in the scene, sitting around the supper table with Jesus and the Apostles. Nobody seemed to notice a fourteenth person there. When Jesus washed the feet of his Apostles, I recalled the first time I had my feet washed by our priest as he performed the Mandatum Rite, and what a humbling experience that was for me.

Then during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, as our pastor held aloft the Body of Christ, my mind drifted. (I know that’s not supposed to happen, but it did). My thoughts turned to a disagreement my wife and I often have. We both like to read, and she frequently flips to the last chapter, spoiling the story by learning how it turns out. Me, well, you couldn’t pay me ten bucks to cheat. I delight in seeing the story unravel. I want to be surprised, and I certainly don’t want her to spoil the story for me by telling me how it ends before I’ve read the book.

And then it dawned on me that I was the only one sitting at that supper table who knew what was to come in just a few hours. I knew that Judas the Iscariot would soon leave to go bargain for his thirty pieces of silver in return for his betrayal of Jesus. I knew Jesus would soon be arrested and tried, and of the pain he would endure being tortured and crucified, and I knew our beloved teacher would die. I could see all these horrendous events.

But, I also knew the happy ending: that Jesus would be lifted up after three days, that His resurrected self would join and encourage His friends in the upper room, and that at Pentecost, He would ascend into heaven.

But I couldn’t tell any of this to the other twelve reclining at table there with me. And I wondered if, through some twist of time and it was even possible for me to tell them, would they be like me and not care to know how it all plays out, or would they be like my wife and want to know what the future held in store?

I’ve been mulling this conundrum for the last couple hours. I’ve decided this is one case in which I’m glad I know the story has a happy ending. It gives me hope, takes away my fears, and makes me want to give a spoiler alert to the whole world!

How about you? Won’t you join me?

“My dear Jesus, You know and I know what You’re about to experience. At every Mass, I am filled with both tears of joy and sadness as I reflect on Your Passion. I know You gave it all for me…sinful me. I am so deeply grateful for Your love. Thank you! Amen.”

(The Lord’s Supper, was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)