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:

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

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

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

4. 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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