Rehabilitating the Labor Force

07 Saturday Dec 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Bible Reflections, Christian Life, Evangelization

Tags

Charity, Christian living, Cleanse the lepers, Cure the sick, Drive out demons, Evangelization, Faith, God, Jesus, Master of the harvest, Mt 10:1-8, Mt 9:35-38, Prayer, Raise the dead

In today’s Gospel, Mt 9:35 – 10:1, 5-8, Jesus shows his compassion for the many people who’ve come to him to hear his teaching and to be cured. As I imagine myself in that scene, I sense Jesus is overwhelmed because He knows there are so many more people who need to be cured, who need to be preached to, but He simply can’t get to them all. He needs help and he tells His disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Then, rather than just wish for help, He commissions His twelve disciples, giving them authority to drive out unclean spirits and cure every disease and illness.

Whether you like it or not, Jesus is talking to us – to you and me. He’s asking us to not only be productive laborers but to increase the labor force. For most of us, that’s a scary thought, and a task that’s all too easy for us to turn from and walk away. We feel either incompetent or it’s inconvenient for us and low on our to-do list. But, it’s a condition of employment, so to speak. In a way, the compensation we receive will depend on how well we accept and perform that job requirement.

But Jesus is a fair and just employer. He doesn’t expect everyone to aspire to be upper level management. He just wants us to do the best job we can in the jobs we have – our particular vocations. We don’t have to be priests, religious, or parish Directors of Evangelization. He doesn’t expect us to quit our jobs as parents, siblings, friends and neighbors to be something we’re not. He just asks us to help Him in the roles we’ve chosen and the environment in which we work.

Often we get so wrapped up in our jobs that we forget that the mission of the company is to provide a service or product that is needed by others. It’s that way with our Christian faith, in which our mission is to serve others so that they will discover the saving grace of Jesus. Jesus trains us through Scripture and the Sacraments, through which He gives us the knowledge and tools to do our jobs well.

Where do we start? Well, Jesus asked his disciples to begin by asking “the master to send out laborers.” He’s telling us to pray, to pray to God for insight for whom we can reach out to join our labor force. This may be a new hire to our faith, or someone already on the payroll who’s not quite pulling their weight. If we pray, and if we pay attention, the Holy Spirit will put someone on our hearts.

But prayer is just the starting point. We have to use the knowledge and skills we’ve been taught through our faith formation, from what we’ve learned at our weekly meetings (Mass), and how we’ve seen other top producers (the Saints), do their jobs. By applying what we’ve learned, and with the support we will be given, we can add to our ranks and grow our business.

Many people, though, need some form of rehabilitation before they can become productive co-workers. Jesus has conferred on us degrees in Occupational Therapy. Like He gave His twelve disciples, He’s given us the authority and ability through the gift of charity and friendship to cure the sick– those who are spiritually ill, who are suffering from infectious diseases caught in the secular environment; and to raise the dead – those who were once alive but have succumbed to one of these fatal infectious diseases.

And, like the disciples, we can cleanse the lepers – by offering love and respecting the human dignity of those who aren’t exactly like us; who are rejected or who are outcasts from society because of decisions they’ve made or unfortunate circumstances that have occurred in their lives. And, we can drive out demons – by being good friends who, with compassion, help those who are controlled by vices such as pride, anger, envy, lust, gluttony, sloth, and greed, – all of the things the enemy uses to keep people from God; and help them through anxiety about worries and regrets over which they have no control.

Our Lord needs more good and able people to expand His kingdom. He’s depending on us to look within our own spheres of influence, to ask Him for guidance, and to employ all that he’s taught us to rehabilitate co-workers and new hires alike, so that the harvest will yield more fruit per acre.

“Lord Jesus, thank You for teaching me, for setting the example of how to grow Your kingdom. I feel pretty incompetent at times, but I know You are here with me and I only have to call upon You when I need help. Help me to never forget that I can’t do this alone, that You are always by my side. Amen.”

(Rehabilitating the Labor Force, was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

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Evangelization Happens at the Pace of Relationship

11 Wednesday Sep 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Catholic, church, Culture change, Evangelization, Friendship, Jesus, Love, Love of Neighbor, Mercy, Relationships

In just over a week autumn will be here and summer will officially be over. With school starting, most parishes have wrapped up their festival season, had their parish picnics, and are beginning to prepare for the season of Advent.

Our parish family had its picnic in August. (Perhaps I need to explain what I mean by “parish family”. We have a priest shortage forcing our Archdiocese to combine parishes into parish families. Our “family” consists of two established churches whose boundaries abut each other.) To help transition from two parishes into one canonical parish with two campuses, we had one picnic for both churches.

I made it a point to wander around and meet people I didn’t know and to get reacquainted with folks I hadn’t seen in a while. I saw one couple whom I had not seen in four or five years sitting alone. They regularly attend the church that I don’t usually attend. They were eating their meal so I sat down with my plate of food and we reconnected. I asked them how long they had been parishioners and they replied they’d been there about nine years. I said, “You must know a lot of folks here, then.” They looked at each other and replied, “No, not really.” I responded, “That’s too bad, do you feel welcome here?” They again exchanged glances and replied, “No, not really.”

Sadly, this is not an uncommon sentiment by many parishioners. I’ve met too many people who feel the same. They’ve attended church for years but have made no real friends. People from the church I regularly attend have confided the same to me. My family has experienced this with our many relocations. And these days, because my wife and I travel often, we attend Mass at more than a dozen different churches each year and it’s rare that anyone takes the time to welcome our unfamiliar faces.

It’s easy for us to say that those who feel unwelcome are partly responsible due to their own introvertedness. But that doesn’t excuse the rest of us. We’re not all introverted, but even those who are can learn to be extroverted when called to be such.

By virtue of our faith we are all called to reach out to others and build up the body of Christ, the Church. In other words, we are called to evangelize. And evangelization happens at the pace of relationship. Relationships are begotten when we intentionally meet and get to know each other. Relationships build trust, and being trusted is essential when we are trying to proclaim the Gospel and bring others to, or closer to, Jesus.

Evangelization is often considered to be something we only do outside the church doors, to the un-churched. We need to change our thinking. We have to evangelize within our church family as well. At any moment, parishioners like those I met at the picnic may decide that if they don’t meet anyone this Sunday, they’re gone! Tragically, Catholics are leaving the faith in droves, partly because they do not feel welcome. It’s a problem our Catholic culture has to overcome if we want to survive. We have to get beyond the idea that our only responsibility is to attend mass each week and go to confession once a year. Our Creed says we are “One”. We need to start acting like we are all One family and loving the other as they deserve and need to be loved.

We are called to be merciful like Jesus was merciful. That includes practicing the Spiritual Work of Mercy of comforting the sorrowful. We can’t keep looking past people like they are invisible, rather we have to understand that many are struggling, and that not everything is copacetic in their lives. People going through a tough time need a listening ear. A friendly smile and welcoming conversation can turn a difficult day into one of joy and hope. The making of a new friend can end a life of loneliness. And personally, the next new person you intentionally meet might just be your next best friend, the someone you need but just don’t know it yet.

Make it a point to meet someone new this Sunday or at your next parish activity. Be intentional. Attend a different mass, sit in a different pew, look for that spot in a pew next to someone you don’t know. Then, after Mass, turn to them with an outreached hand and introduce yourself. When they respond, take the conversation from there, listening to learn more about them. It’s not that hard and you’ll be glad you gave it a try.

“Come Holy Spirit, rekindle in me and all those who have been Confirmed the virtue of fortitude to get out of our comfort zones and seek out those who need us. Help us to look beyond ourselves and commit to bringing the love of Christ to others. I thank You, Lord, for all those you have placed in my life who have reached out with a friendly hand and a comforting smile and made me feel a welcome member of our Catholic family. Amen.”

(Evangelization Happens at the Pace of Relationship, was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Road Trip Reflections: “Come Away with Me”

22 Monday Jul 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Prayer, Road Trips

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Come Away with Me, Desert time, Evangelization, Mark 6:30-34, Mark 6:31, Reflection, Rest, Retreat, Road Trips, Silent Retreat

I just returned home after an eight-hour drive today from Missouri where I visited my mother. I drove down to see her on Friday. This was my first visit since my father passed away in March. We had a nice reunion and some good conversation.

Before I left Friday I had a few friends tell me, as they often do, that I am crazy for all the driving I do. I suppose for most folks, it looks that way. While even a two-hour drive may be loathsome and cause tired tushes for some, I don’t think twice about taking an eight to twelve hour road trip or even going across country. I’m fortunate that my wife enjoys a good road trip, also, but every now and then it’s a welcome respite to spend hours behind the wheel alone. I think the introvert in me appreciates that time for recharging.

Last Monday I met with a group of men and we discussed this morning’s Gospel, Mk 6:30-34 relating to the apostles return from their mission of preaching in the nearby villages. As we went around the table sharing what the Word was saying to each of us, my reflection focused on verse 31, “Jesus said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’” Jesus knew they needed some downtime without distractions, and He knows we need it, too. He calls us each day to spend time alone with Him, at least 20 minutes in prayer, in solitude and silence, meditating on His Word, and listening to His will for us that day.

As I began my drive on Friday, that conversation bubbled up and it struck me that this is exactly why I love a solitary road trip – to “Come away” by myself with Him! I’m in the desert for hours at a time, in a silent retreat, no music or podcasts, with just me driving and Jesus in the passenger seat navigating me through life. It truly is a relaxing few hours where I tell Him what’s on my mind and then listen to His response.

He brings to mind past sins about which I’m not too proud; reveals to me my predominant faults; and helps me see ways to grow in virtue. We converse about my relationships, with whom I need to be more charitable, and how I should love others the way they deserve to be loved. And, we brainstorm ways in which I can evangelize, proclaiming the Kingdom, so that I might bring others to know Him and receive His love.

But even in this peaceful time, the Enemy still puts a few potholes in my path. About half way into my eight hour drive on Friday, I received a phone call from the repair shop with their estimate of over two thousand dollars to repair my lawn mower. I told them I needed some time to consider if it was worth it. I got a little anxious for a few minutes, but then I thought, “I’m not going to let them steal my peace! This business can wait until Monday”, and then got back into my silent retreat.

Then today, I stopped at a rest area and checked a couple text messages I’d received from siblings, flabbergasted over today’s news regarding the political presidential race. Exiting out of them, I thought, “I’m not getting pulled into this and let it steal my peace, either! It can wait until November when I can vote and do the only thing there is for me to do other than pray.” And, I got back on the highway with my co-pilot.

I made it home after dark, unloaded my truck, put things away, took the trash cans to the street, and still had enough energy to jot down these thoughts. I feel rested and ready to get back to work tomorrow creating ways to build an evangelizing culture in our parish.

“Lord Jesus, I so enjoyed our time together this weekend! Thank You for traveling with me, keeping me safe, and drawing me closer to You. Thank you for inviting me to “Come away with You”, and for the grace to say, “Yes!”. Thank you for the time with my mother, and for our conversations reminiscing about Dad. Amen.”

(Road Trip Reflections: “Come Away with Me”, was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Are You In or Out?

16 Thursday May 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization, Faith

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Tags

Bible, Catholic, christianity, Discipleship, Evangelization, Faith, Fear, Jesus, Jn 16:33, Jn 17:11-19, Trust

It’s Wednesday, May 15th, but I know this won’t get posted until tomorrow. I’m writing this right after my morning meditation on today’s Gospel, John 17:11-19. After Jesus informed his disciples that he is going away (Jn 16) and they will have to take over from Him, He warns them of the trouble they will encounter from the world, but to have courage because He has conquered the world. Now (Jn 17), He prays to God before them to consecrate them to the truth, sends them forth into the world to continue His mission, and prays, “for those who will believe in me through their word”.

As I put myself in that scene as one of the disciples, I feel anxious. I am alarmed and sad that my Messiah, the One I love, is leaving me, and I am fearful because I now have a tremendous responsibility to carry on His mission even though I am hopelessly inadequate. At the same time, I think about all the good He has brought to the world – the miracles, the lessons about right living, the healing, the interior peace – lessons that simply cannot be set aside and forgotten. I have a decision to make: do I just remember Jesus as a friend, teacher, and miracle worker, or do I continue His work, sharing this beautiful life, and help others come to know Him?

I realize that it’s really a no-brainer. Up until now, I’ve just been tagging along on His robe-tail, letting Him do all the work. Now He’s asking me, and trusting in me, to step up and take command. He’s even asked God directly to help me…and I have no reason to believe His prayer won’t be answered no matter how afraid I am. I have never felt more loved than when I’ve been with Him. He has asked me to love others as He has loved me. How can I do otherwise?

My decision: I’m in. I know it won’t be easy but I trust that He will be with me. I’ll make mistakes. I’ll fall occasionally. He told me the world will work against me. I’ll accept that, but I’ll find ways to deal with it and evangelize nevertheless.

What’s your decision? Are you in or out?

“Lord Jesus, thank You for inviting me to a deep relationship with You, and Your trust in me to lead others to You. Thank You for the gifts You give when I receive You in Communion, the gifts of love for others, and of courage and strength to overcome my fear of evangelizing as I bring that love to them. Amen.

(Are You In or Out? was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Biscuits and Gravy

11 Thursday Apr 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization, Faith, Friendship

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Biscuits and Gravy, Catholic, Evangelization, Faith, Friendship, Missionary Discipleship, The Rescue Project

My southern-raised grandmother had a saying when she received something good over and above what she expected: “Well, isn’t that just gravy on the biscuit!”. This Lent our parish offered a faith-filled “biscuit” and got a heaping ladle of “gravy” thrown in.

Approximately ninety parishioners and parishioners-to-be gathered to experience The Rescue Project, a faith-building/evangelization program. Participants sat at the same table of eight, and, over eight weeks, filled their bellies with good food and their minds and souls with delicious “biscuits” – an expected deeper understanding of our Catholic faith.

The “gravy” came in the form of evangelizing through developing friendships. Many at the tables were strangers to each other, so table leaders had to be intentional about creating an inviting atmosphere for everyone to comfortably share their personal insights and what they received from the presentations. This intentionality had to stem from a genuine interest in the other person and a desire to get to know their story. With each successive week, participants became more comfortable and trusting, laughed and cried together, and became close friends. Since the program ended, table members have arranged to meet for meals, for prayer, and have stayed in touch supporting each other in their daily walk with Christ.

Everyone who attended The Rescue Project came to be inspired in their faith, and they left with much more – new friends with whom they could share their love for Jesus. But, those ninety folks are not unique in the world. There are millions just like them eager for friendship and the chance to tell their story if only someone is interested enough to listen. They are in our parishes, our neighborhoods, and our workplaces. They are the people sitting next to you in the church pew, or the new parishioner who’s just moved to town and doesn’t know anyone. They could be someone who is lost and despairing, who is blindly looking for salvation. God put you in their path on purpose.

To be missionary disciples, we need to intentionally seek opportunities to be friends who can bring others to Christ. We need to be welcoming and hospitable, and help others find joy in the world by delighting in them and helping them feel relevant, that they are beloved sons and daughters of God. God made us for each other. He shows His love for us through other people. Your next best friend may just be the person you’re about to meet. Delight in them. Be the “gravy” on their “biscuit”.

“Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of faith, for the gift of friendship, and the opportunity to bring the two together. Thank You for Fr. John Riccardo and his ACTS XXIX team for developing The Rescue Project. Thank you for putting it on the hearts of so many in our parish to participate and bring the love of Christ to others. Amen.”

(Biscuits and Gravy was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Ephphatha!

27 Wednesday Mar 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

Catholic, Curing of the Deaf/Mute, Ephphatha, Evangelization, Faith, Grace, Holy Saturday, Holy Spirit, Is 50:4-5, Mk 7:31-37, Prayer, RCIA

This Saturday morning, Easter Saturday, I will have the pleasure of leading eighteen adults and youths in the final rites before they are baptized and enter into full communion with the Church that evening at the Easter Vigil Mass. One of those rites is the Ephphatha Rite, the opening of the ears and mouth of the Elect to help them more clearly hear and proclaim the Word of God. The Rite is based on the curing of the deaf and mute man in Mark’s Gospel (Mk 7:31-37).

Saturday will be exactly eleven years to the day since I received this rite, the day I was baptized and became a Catholic Christian. A remembrance of this came back to me this morning as I read today’s first reading:

The Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to answer the weary a word that will awaken them. Morning after morning he wakens my ear to hear as disciples do; the Lord God opened my ear, I did not refuse, did not turn away. – Is 50:4-5

More happened that day than my conversion becoming official. God truly opened my ears and my tongue as well as allowing the words to flow from my brain through my hand to pen or computer keys. I was never one to journal or record my thoughts on paper, in fact, I abhorred writing, was terrible with grammar and punctuation, and, most of all, didn’t dare say anything about a belief with which someone else might contend. Yet, within two weeks, I began writing articles on this blog as a means to evangelize and lead others to a better understanding of their faith in hopes that they would grow closer to Jesus. Now, eleven years and 300 blog posts later, I still feel the call.

On March 30, 2013, I would have said you were crazy if you’d prophesied the future and said I would retire, go back to school to become a certified Catholic Spiritual Mentor mentoring dozens of men, and eventually be re-employed as Director of Evangelization and Adult Faith Formation within our parish. Miracles happen, and, with God, all things are possible.

“Good and gracious God, by Your grace, You joined me with holy people who accompanied me on this journey ever since I chose to follow You. Through them, You taught me how to pray, how to converse with You, how to tell You what is on my heart, how to listen to Your promptings, and, especially, how to help others do the same so that their interior lives can flourish. You opened my ears and loosened my tongue so that others may hear Your Word. I give You thanks every day that when I heard Your calling, ‘I did not refuse, did not turn away.’ Amen.”

(Ephphatha! was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Faith is Personal…but Should Never Be Private

26 Tuesday Mar 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Catholicism, Confirmation, Evangelization, Friendship, Holy Spirit, Prayer, Virtue

Jesus Sends the Apostles – Duccio di Buoninsegna, c.1300

We all know people who claim to believe in God but then won’t talk about it. They clam up and say their faith is personal…end of discussion. They are right, one’s faith is, and should be, personal. But Jesus never intended for it to be private. He tells us in the Gospels to go and be disciples. How can we evangelize if we keep our faith private?

The most common excuse for keeping one’s faith private may be that the basics were never learned well enough in the first place to share it with, or defend it before, others. One can easily deflect blame onto one’s teachers or parents, but to remain in this state is to succumb to the deadly vice of sloth, which is a laziness or a lack of love for the ways of God. The virtue opposing sloth is diligence, which may simply mean spending a little time each day learning more about one’s faith through daily prayer, reading scripture or other Catholic publications, or listening to Catholic television, radio, or podcasts, all of which can help us increase our understanding of our faith.

Another is our failure to fully understand and accept the graces we received at our Confirmation. The infusion of the Holy Spirit supernaturally strengthened the virtue of fortitude within us, enabling us to share in the mission of Jesus Christ to spread and defend our faith. Like a child who receives affirmation from a parent over a good behavior continues to improve in that behavior, we, too, simply have to believe we already possess what we need.

And, finally, the exigencies of modern life can make us forget that we need other people. Jesus didn’t live as a hermit. He gathered family and friends with whom He shared life. St. Paul urged the Corinthians to not live their faith privately but in community with one another. Like an ember that falls away from a fire and dies out, we can grow cold if we don’t stay close to others who are on fire with their faith, and others can grow cold if we don’t bring our fire to them.

To effectively evangelize, we can’t be passive. We have to actively learn, strengthen our relationship with Jesus through prayer and study, and build friendships with those whose fires need stoking.

“Lord Jesus, I pray for the grace to love You more dearly, and to exercise the grace which You’ve already bestowed on me in my Confirmation to bear fruit for Your Kingdom. Amen.”

(Faith is Personal…but Should Never be Private was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Relationship vs. Religion

09 Saturday Mar 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

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Tags

Catholicism, christianity, Evangelization, Evangelizing, Faith, Friendship, Jesus, Mental Prayer, Prayer, Relationships, Religion

In many previous posts I’ve mentioned the need to develop a close personal relationship with Jesus through prayer, especially mental prayer or mediation, in order to make our evangelizing authentic. In prayer, we spend time with Jesus, we converse, and we build a friendship with Him that becomes so exciting that we want to introduce Him and share Him with others!

As Catholics, we are fortunate to be able to claim two thousand years of tradition in our lineage. We are the original Church, instituted by Christ Himself, and built on the rock of Peter. We have thousands of saints to whom we can look as role models: men and women who performed incredible acts of charity, who evangelized savage cultures at the risk of losing their lives, and who staunchly defended their faith and were martyred. Our faith is deep, and we have a plethora of books, magazines, podcasts, television, videos, and speakers to help us learn and go deeper into the finer details of Catholicism. It’s all good and exciting stuff and we can easily get lost in it. So lost, in fact, that we can begin to think that our religion, our Catholicity, is first and foremost. And, when we do, Jesus gets relegated to the back seat. Our excitement about Catholicism becomes a hinderance to actually promoting Jesus.

If we read the Gospels closely, we see the popularity of Jesus. People heard of his miracles, and they flocked to Him. They were cured of sickness and demons, and, as they told more people about Him, more and more people followed Him everywhere He went. During Jesus’ public ministry, His disciples didn’t tell people to come join them in a new religion. The term Christianity was not coined until a few decades later. Rather, they simply invited them to encounter Jesus. People got excited about Jesus and not some new religion.

If we’re not careful, we can fall into the trap of thinking we are evangelizing when, instead, we are selling Catholicism rather than sharing our love for Jesus, and hoping that an interest in Him will ensue. We have it backwards. We ought to follow the example of the Apostles and invite people to meet Jesus. Once they find and get excited about Him, then we can introduce them to the beauty and truth of our Catholic faith.

How do I know this? Because it worked on me.

“Dear Jesus, thank You for Your love, for drawing me closer to You each day. I love You, and in our friendship, Your love overflows so that I may offer it to others who may not know You…yet. Amen.”

(Relationship vs. Religion was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Why You Should Evangelize

24 Saturday Feb 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

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1 Tm 2:3-4, Catholic, CCC1, christian, christianity, Evangelization, Faith, Jn 6:38-40, Mt 28:19, Why You Should Evangelize

Jesus Preaching on the Mount, Gustave Dore, 1866

I’ve been in my position as Director of Evangelization for our parish family for about a year now. The role has turned out to be more than I originally imagined it would be. I wear several hats during the course of a day, and I often hear, “I saw your truck at the parish office late last night.” To them I respond, “Yep, I’m loving it! For the first time in twenty years I get up in the morning and look forward to going to work!”

Ministry work is as distinct as night and day to the corporate life I endured for thirty-six years before I retired. While I may have grown weary of the grind, I enjoyed the hundreds of people with whom I worked and led, especially helping them learn how to perform their jobs well and understand why it was necessary. Understanding the “why” behind a directive can inspire someone to move from poor or mediocre performance to high performance. I think this principle applies to evangelization, as well.

The directive to evangelize came from Jesus, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Mt 28:19-20). Jesus didn’t explicitly answer the “why” question in this order, but He did give us inferences in the Gospels and inspired letters of the New Testament as to why he commanded this of us:

“because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me…for this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life…” (Jn 6:38-40)

“This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tm 2:3-4)

Jesus laid out the conditions of discipleship when he said we must deny ourselves and follow Him, that is, to do as He does and as He commands. (Mt 16:24-26)

Just like an employee who wonders “why?” might ask the question, “What’s in it for me?”, before he does something, it’s easy for us Christians to ask the same, especially when it comes to the often difficult task of evangelizing. The real question should not be, “What’s in it for me?”, but “What’s in it for someone else?”. Jesus made this inference when he explained the second Great Commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself!” (Mt 22:39)

So, the answer to, “What’s in it for someone else?”, is that they will find a relationship with Jesus, the One Who redeems us and leads us to “God [who}, infinitely perfect and blessed in Himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in His own blessed life.” (CCC1).

And the answer to, “What’s in it for me?”, is the grace in knowing that correctly answering, “What’s in it for someone else?”, might simply be your salvation!

“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and presence in my life, for the desire to place myself in Your presence, and to bring others into Your presence, as well. Amen.”

(Why You Should Evangelize was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

From the Archives: What Shall I Do, Lord?

25 Thursday Jan 2024

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Evangelization

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Acts 22:10, Catholic, christian, christianity, Conversion, Conversion of St. Paul, Evangelization, Faith, Meditation, Prayer, Resolution, St. Paul

(A reflection on Acts 22:10)

Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. As I meditated on today’s Scripture, I had a deja vu feeling I had been there before. Looking back, I discovered I’d offered a reflection four years ago today, and decided it was worth sharing again.

We are all called to proclaim the Gospel. How we do that begins with each of us asking the question:

What Shall I Do, Lord?

On this Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul we hear St. Paul ask, “What shall I do, Lord?”, after he is blinded on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians. His question is proof of his instant conversion to follow Christ.

It’s a good question for each of us to ask every day, as well, if we desire to follow Christ and grow in holiness. There’s no better way to begin one’s day than through meditation asking the Lord to reveal His will for us. It’s our job, then, to listen and make a resolution to go do it.

“Heavenly Father, through St. Paul and the other Apostles, the faith was spread throughout the world. As I celebrate his conversion today, I pray that I may follow his witness in at least my little part of the world. Amen.”

(From the Archives: What Shall I Do, Lord?, was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)