Tag Archives: Evangelizing

Relationship vs. Religion

09 Saturday Mar 2024

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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)

©2013-2024 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Wisdom in Speaking

02 Saturday Dec 2023

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In last Wednesday’s Gospel, Jesus told His disciples that they were not to prepare their defense before hand because He Himself would give them a wisdom in speaking.  (Lk 21:14).  I know Jesus was alluding to their legal defense when they would eventually be persecuted, but today I had an opportunity to pray for wisdom in speaking in an unexpected situation.

I had gone to my office at the parish center to wrap up some unfinished business.  Upon entering the building I noticed someone was using one of the conference room.  Not long after settling in at my desk I was interrupted by a woman, a friend of mine, knocking at my door.  She is Hispanic, was the one using the conference room, and she was leading six fourteen and fifteen year old girls, along with three moms, in preparation for their Quinceaneras, their cultural right-of-passage into womanhood at the age of fifteen.

My friend asked me if I would come talk to the girls about their faith obligations once they make this transition into young adulthood.  I’m sure I had a scared, deer-in-the-headlights look on my face because: one, I stink at extemporaneous speaking; and, two, all I knew about this celebration is what I just wrote in italics above.  I had no idea what new faith obligations they might have once they “officially” become young women, and no time to ask or research it.  What could I say?  She is my friend and she asked because I am the parish’s Director of Evangelization.  She was trusting in me to enlighten these young ladies.  

It is about twenty steps from my office to the conference room.  With the first ten or so steps I tried to think of what to say but, getting no inspiration, I paced the last ten steps simply praying for the Holy Spirit to lead me.

My friend had the girls introduce themselves and I congratulated them on their upcoming milestone and asked if they were looking forward to it.  They smiled and nodded.  I made an awkward momentary pause, still not knowing what to say, but continued with, “Growing up can be exciting but it also brings more responsibility as you know.  One of those responsibilities is to not only stay strong in your faith but to pass that faith along to others.  We call that evangelizing.”  Mostly blank looks followed.

“How many of you have tattoos?”  That produced a smile or two and, thankfully, none had received one.  “That’s good”, I added with my own smile, “but you actually have a tattoo, an invisible one.  It’s the mark you received at your baptism, the mark that identifies you as a beloved daughter of God, and one who has the Spirit of Christ in you!”  Quizzical looks.   

You’re fourteen or fifteen so I suspect you’ve all been Confirmed, right?”  All nods.  “You may not know it but you were given another gift at your Confirmation, the courage and strength to tell others about your love for Jesus.  Is that kind of a scary thought, talking about your faith?”  More nods.

“Well, it’s really not that hard.  The best way to do that is to just be friendly with other people, especially those whom you don’t know well.  And, because you have the love of Christ in you, you will radiate a joy that they find different than in other people.  They will begin to want some of what you have.  They will want to be your friend.  It’s much easier to share your feelings with friends, isn’t it?”  Nods.

“But you have to be open to making new friends, which means that you have to intentionally reach out to meet new people.  And that can be kind of scary.  But, remember, you have been given the strength and courage you need to do that.  What’s the best way to make good new friends?  Well, the best way is to put your phones down and greet people person to person and have conversations face to face.  This is how you really get to know someone and they get to know you.  And, it’s the best way to share life and share your faith and introduce a new friend to Jesus.  It’s the adult way to have a relationship with someone else.”  Funny looks.

“Jesus told all of us to go and tell others about Him.  It’s our responsibility.  And it’s a responsibility that we have to accept as adults.  I love that you’re all so excited about this next step in your life!  it can be really exciting, too, to share your faith with other people, especially when you see them learning to love Jesus, too. 

“I wish you all well, and that your Quinceanera celebrations are amazing!  And, I hope you all embrace your young adulthood and the challenges and responsibilities it will bring.  God bless you all.”  Smiles and nods.

It’s difficult to tell what’s going on in a stoic young person’s mind.  Everything I said may have gone in one ear and out the other.  My friend and the moms seemed to love my comments, though.  Someday I may have the opportunity to look back on this and see whether or not my advice stuck with them.  If a connection was made with just one of those young women, and she someday puts those ideas into play, then all of my situational uneasiness will have been worth it.  But, for now, I will simply trust in the Holy Spirit, the One Who gave me the wisdom to speak those words, to take it from here.

“Dear Lord, thank You for this opportunity that literally came knocking on my door today.  You may have been testing me, or You may have been simply showing me that You believe in me, that I actually can evangelize when I need to.  Either way, I thank You, and I thank You for giving me the words to speak.  Lord, I pray for those young ladies, that they may keep the faith and that they will lead others closer to You.  Amen.”

(Wisdom in Speaking was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2023 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

How to Evangelize Like St. Philip

01 Monday May 2023

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St. Philip the Deacon and Evangelist

In last Thursday’s first Scripture reading, Acts 8:26-40, we read where St. Philip the Evangelist (the deacon, not the Apostle), at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, met, instructed, converted and baptized the Ethiopian eunuch.  Philip took to heart the Great Commission handed down by Jesus to, “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.” (Mt 28:19).

Let’s take a look at evangelization.  What is it exactly?

In a very simple sense, it is telling someone else about something near and dear to your heart.  Something you love.  People know that I love pizza, I love my wife and family, I love to mow grass, and I love to fly fish in a mountain stream.  They know these things because I talk about them.  I don’t keep them a secret.

But, there’s something I love even more than pizza, my family, my zero turn mower, and fly fishing.  I love Jesus. People who know me know this because I tell them.  And, to people I don’t know, I write about my love for Him in this blog.  It’s one way in which I spread the Gospel (which means “Good News” by the way).  It’s really no different than telling someone the good news of when you have a new grandchild, when you get a new car, or when you’ve become engaged.  

Sadly, the word evangelization makes people uncomfortable.  It brings about visions of knocking on doors, of preaching from a street corner with a bull horn, and of putting one’s self in difficult situations where you might get asked questions to which you don’t have answers.  But, turn that around and look at it from the other side.  There are millions of people out there who have questions and are seeking answers.  Questions about how to be happier, how to feel loved, how to deal with suffering.  Questions about God and Jesus.  Questions that are just waiting for answers from those of us who experience the happiness associated with Christ’s love, and the value of suffering that comes with our faith.  Answers that will help bring about positive change in another person.  Answers that will ultimately save souls.

We all know people who are searching for something better.  They may be family, friends, a co-worker, the next door neighbor, your child’s little league coach or piano teacher.  People you know who see you and see what you have and want some of it for themselves.  They may not feel comfortable in coming to you directly.  But, if you’re observant, you can see the signs – signs that they’re hurting, lonely, afraid.

My conversion experience began with two men who befriended me, saw my struggles, and with love and patience, brought me to an encounter with Christ where I had a “Pauline” experience and got knocked off my horse.  And, then, those two men and several other “Ananaises” brought me even closer to our Lord and helped me get to know Him. 

With my conversion, I immediately felt Christ’s love for me, but I’d be lying to say I was immediately an evangelist.  No, it took a while for me to learn to love Him back and to build up my faith with a strong interior life. That transformation took place through deep and consistent daily prayer during which my relationship with Jesus grew stronger.  I talked to Him and, in meditating on His Word, I listened to what He had to say to me.  By acting on His promptings I grew in virtue, in holiness. People noticed. They began coming to me for answers of how to know Jesus better. 

So, how can you evangelize others?  First, get to know them (and that applies to family members as well as strangers).  Invite them into your life.  Make friends with them.  Build relationships.  Share meals and good conversations.  Get to know what makes them happy and what their struggles are.  Create an atmosphere where they feel comfortable asking the questions for which they are desperately seeking answers.  And, most of all, pray for them!

At some point you can begin talking more openly about your faith, telling them about Jesus.  To start, maybe you invite them to the parish picnic.  Soon, they might join you in a Bible study.  Perhaps, then, they will come and experience mass with you.  As they start growing in their relationship with Jesus, take them deeper in understanding His life by leading them in a meditation of the mysteries of the Rosary.  And, never stop praying for them.  Put all these things together and you have become an evangelist.  You are making disciples. 

The Ethiopian eunuch whom St. Philip evangelized went back to his country and began spreading the Good News to his queen and fellow countrymen.  That one disciple became a disciple maker.  Soon, Christianity spread throughout that region and the Catholic Church in Ethiopia became one of the first Orthodox Christian Churches outside of the Roman Empire and is still strong today.  

Jesus not only gave the Great Commission to the Apostles, he gave it to us.  We are called to make disciples who will go on to become disciple makers themselves.  Our parish needs it.  Our Church needs it.  Humanity needs it.

With whom will you meet today or tomorrow that will bring an opportunity to begin a beautiful new relationship that will ultimately bring them to Christ?  Be like St. Philip the Evangelist!

(How to Evangelize Like St. Philip was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2023 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Five Words

05 Thursday Jan 2023

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St. John showing Christ to St. Andrew, Ottavio Vannini, c. 17th Century

Happy New Year everyone!  I pray this finds you in good health and full of hope for a safe and prosperous new year.

Do you make New Year’s resolutions?  Or are you like me and know that you will break them at the first opportunity? Generally, I tend not to make them but prefer, instead, to make daily resolutions gleaned from what I hear God’s will for me is that day based on my morning prayer and meditation.  However, one thing that’s been on my mind these last few days is understanding what I can do this year to help lead more people closer to Christ.  

In yesterday’s Gospel passage, John 1: 35-42, I read, “John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God.’  The two heard what he said and followed Jesus.” (Jn 1:35-37, NAB)  John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus brought Jesus his first two disciples.  And all it took were five words:  “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

Any good Jew would have understood “the Lamb of God” as indicating the Messiah, the One Who, according to Isaiah the Prophet (Is 53: 7, 10) would accomplish the Lord’s will and lead Israel out of slavery.  These were the words they had longed to hear for generations.  He was their hope, their salvation, the answer to their unhappiness.  He was their rescuer.

Meditating on this passage, I wished it was that easy to convert people today, to help them recognize Christ as the answer to their problems, the One Who can bring peace in a stressed out world.  All it took was for John the Baptist to say five words!  Five words that hit home with people who were looking for peace, freedom, and a better life.  I thought, millions of people today are searching for exactly those things and many of them are right here in my own community.  I wondered, “What five words could I use to attract them to our Lord?”

As I pondered this question, I realized I would have to first work on getting my little ol’ self out of my introverted comfort zone.  My first five words ought to be directed to Jesus Himself, “Lord, give me courage. Amen!”

I know that evangelizing can be more effective if a friendly relationship is first built with someone rather than shouting through a bullhorn from a street corner.  What five words could be used to initiate a new friendship?  A few that came to mind were:

  • “Hello, my name is __________.”
  • “Good morning, what’s your name?”
  • “Hello, are you new here?”
  • “Let’s get together for coffee!”

We all have friends we know very well, and we routinely meet people for the first time, who, if we are observant, we can tell are hurting in some way, either physically, emotionally or spiritually, and they need lifting up.  What five words can be used to bring the love of Christ to them, to let them know we care?  

  • “Can I pray for you?”
  • “How can I help you?”
  • “A penny for your thoughts.”
  • “You look lonely.  Wanna talk?”
  • “What struggles are you having?”

And, then there are those who we see routinely at mass, who attend simply because they are supposed to or it’s what they’ve always done, yet are lukewarm in their faith.  Many of these folks have let worldliness obscure their vision of Christ as the ultimate good.  Their lives are out of balance and they know something is missing but they’re not quite sure what to do about it.  What five words can we say to them to help them realize their situation, start them on the road back, and rekindle or strengthen their relationship with Jesus?

  • “How’s your prayer life, friend?”
  • “What graces have you had?”
  • “Where’s Jesus in your life?”
  • “Come, let’s go to confession!”
  • “Join me in Bible study?”

Five words for courage.  Five words to make a new friend.  Five words to show you love and care for someone.  Five words to help someone who can’t see the forest for the trees.  That might be all it takes.  Of course, six, ten, or two dozen words might work even better.  It’s really not that difficult if our hearts accept the mission given to us by Jesus to be disciple-makers.

“Dear Jesus, I love You because I know You love me.  I want to share it with others who need to know Your love as well.  Help me, Lord, to recognize the opportunities before me to evangelize, to summon up the courage to reach out, and to trust the Holy Spirit to give me the right words at the right time.  Amen.”

(Five Words was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2023 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Who Is Imploring You to Be Their Light?

25 Saturday May 2019

Posted by in Daily 100, Evangelization, Prayer

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A mosaic from a mural near the Church of St. Nicholas in Kavala, Macedonia depicting St. Paul’s first step into Europe upon landing in Macedonia in 49 A.D.

(A reflection on today’s scripture from Acts 16:1-10 and John 15:18-21)

I feel certain that Paul’s fervor for spreading the Gospel led him to prayer asking the Holy Spirit to tell him where he should take his ministry. The Holy Spirit answered his prayer in a vision, prompting him to go and serve the people of Macedonia.

In John 15, Jesus tells us that, because He has chosen us, the world hates us.

As I reflect on these passages, I ask myself, “Who is imploring me to be their light that will guide them on their Way?”; and, “What worldly constraints are keeping me from doing God’s will to help them?”

“Holy Spirit, as I drive for the next five hours and as I meditate on this reflection, reveal to me, I pray, to whom You desire I shine the light of Your love; for the Wisdom to identify the worldly constraints that hinder me; and for the Fortitude to overcome them so that I may do Your will. Amen.”

(Who Is Imploring You To Be Their Light? was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2019 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Fishing

06 Thursday Sep 2018

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jesus-and-the-fishers

( A reflection on Luke 5:1-11)

I love to fish. I learned from my dad. He taught me that fish don’t just jump into the boat. You have to present them with food that satisfies their hunger. And, sometimes the bigger fish aren’t always closest to shore.

Six years ago I went fishing for more happiness in my life. I met Jesus and I welcomed Him into my boat. He’s been teaching me how to be a fisher of men. He provides the bait and the Holy Spirit tells me where to cast and how to present it. Still, sometimes the deeper water scares me.

“Holy Spirit, help me to trust in You in all things. Give me the courage to venture out of my comfort zone of shallow water into the deep where the catch may be more abundant. Show me in each case, I pray, how to present Your truth so that it satisfies their hunger. Amen.”

(Daily 100:  Fishing was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2018 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Overcoming the Fear of Evangelizing

11 Monday Jun 2018

Posted by in Evangelization, Fear, Friendship

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apostles-creed31I mentioned the other day in my post, God is a Techie….and I’m Not, that I had been inspired during the Easter season to write but had trouble making the time to do so. This reflection, the product of weeks of pondering, is one of those. Better late than never.

The Gospel on Pentecost Sunday summed up the Easter season quite well with Jesus’ words, “Peace be with you , as the Father has sent Me, so I send you” (Jn 20:21 NAB). The Gospel readings throughout Easter gave us the opportunity to really get to know Jesus and understand what He expects from us – to go forth spreading the Word by loving one another as He has loved us.

And, throughout Easter, we read from the Acts of the Apostles about how the Apostles did exactly that, proclaiming Jesus as Lord, and spreading the Word of God and His love to anyone, Jews and Gentiles alike, who would listen.

Then, today, on the Feast of St. Barnabas, we hear similar words when Jesus commissions the Twelve, “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”  (Mt 10:7 NAB)

I don’t know about you but I can’t read the Acts of the Apostles without feeling the deep faith they professed. As I read and followed the footsteps of St. Paul, I felt the passion and enthusiasm he had for Christ. I was amazed at the courage he exhibited to bring the faith and the love of God to others in the face of persecution.

I wondered if I could have carried out Christ’s command and truly lived that apostolate? But, more importantly, I wonder if I’m fulfilling my duty (and, it is a duty) as a Christian to personally live it today?

As Catholics, we like to recite a quote, often, but probably erroneously, attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach the Gospel at all times, and, if necessary, use words.” The message is that we should be like St. Francis who lived the Gospel and that our faith should be obvious in our actions. That’s all true, but unfortunately, it gives us the false impression that we don’t need to actually talk to anyone, to verbally make the Good News known.

But, consider if the Apostles had only demonstrated their faith through their actions without verbally preaching the Gospel? Where would the Church be today? I doubt there would be a Church.

No, as brothers and sisters in Christ, it is our duty to not only live the Gospel, but also preach the Gospel with words. So then, why does it seem to have been so easy for the Apostles to convert hundreds to The Way every day, and why is it so hard for me?

First, I think they were so abundantly graced with the virtues of Love and Fortitude that fear of rejection didn’t even phase them. Their love for, and dedication to, the Lord enabled them to foster supernatural courage. They were on a mission, and fear, if they had any, wasn’t going to stop them.

I know fear is a factor in my personal apostolate. I don’t necessarily fear rejection, rather, I fear damaging relationships with loved ones. I wince at the dichotomy in that statement. If I loved them as Christ would have me love them, I wouldn’t flinch at doing whatever I could to bring them to fully realize His love for them.

This reminds me of a story which, I think, is attributed to the Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen. He spoke of two men, business partners and friends, one Christian and the other atheist. The atheist was on his death bed when his friend asked him if he’d like to be baptized before he passed away. The dying atheist replied, “No. If you care for and love me that much, why did you wait until now to invite me to know your Christ?”

Perhaps my fear is based more on misunderstanding than anything else. If a person to whom I am trying to evangelize has no concept of the eternal love Christ has for us, then they aren’t able to understand my love for them. And, if they don’t understand me, they’ll reject me.

It’s ironic that the person being evangelized may also feel misunderstood and rejected. If, in our attempt to evangelize, we try to impose our beliefs on them without taking the time or effort to meet them where they are and to understand their paradigm, we will most certainly alienate them.

Thus, rather than stand on the street corner and obnoxiously preach through a loud speaker, or go door to door beating people over the head with our faith, how do we reach out to others? I believe the secret is patiently and gently getting to know the other person so that they can hear and feel the love of Christ that is flowing through us, and see our joy of living a Christ life.

But, in today’s culture of electronic communications, it is getting more difficult to build personal relationships and get to know other people. Try as we might, face to face communication is uncomfortably difficult for many people, especially for our younger generation. How do we, then, crack the ice? I think the answer is to care about the other person with a desire to enter into empathetic conversation with the intention of getting to know and understand them. An attempt to understand breeds acceptance. With acceptance comes openness. And with openness comes an attitude of sharing, of giving and receiving.

Why do I believe this? I have seen it practiced by friends who live it intrinsically and who have brought more people closer to Christ than anyone else in our immediate faith community. I know this because they did it to me. It was their friendship, the intentional relationships they built with me when I was an unbeliever, that brought me to know Jesus Christ.

Well, now that I’ve talked my way through this, I need to go back to the idea of fear and ask myself, “Where is the source of fear in taking the simple approach of making and being a friend?”

None that I can see.

I would love to hear your thoughts and comments about any fears you have or have had with respect to evangelizing. I hope my talking myself through this helps you, too. God bless you!

“Lord Jesus, as I try to bring others closer to You, help me to remember to open my heart and let You work through me, Your instrument; and that You are in the lead and I’m following You. Lord, You have given me the grace to overcome my fear of evangelizing to others. Now, I pray that You give me the virtues of perseverance to not give up, and patience to not try to evangelize the world all at once. Amen.”

(Overcoming the Fear of Evangelizing was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2018 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.