Why Should We Evangelize?

Over the last 3 Sundays, we’ve reviewed some of the most common excuses we Catholics use to avoid our duty to evangelize. (These can be reviewed at gscc.net in the Evangelization section). What about the positive. Why should we make the effort to evangelize our fellow in-active Catholics or non-Catholics?

1.  Jesus asked us to. We do so out of love and obedience to our Lord who laid down his life for us. On the day of his ascension, in what became known as “The Great Commission”, he told his assembled disciples “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” This final command before he returned to his Father in heaven urges us to go to our fellow man and share the good news that Jesus is the Christ, God become man, who took the sins of the world up with him on the cross, died for us, was raised to life and ascended into heaven. He now shares His divine life with us through His church and her sacraments till the day of His return in Glory. We will not be alone when we approach our neighbors/family/friends/ strangers with this Good News, for He told us – “And behold, I am with you always…”

2. Because we have become convinced that we ourselves have been given a great gift that fills our lives with joy. We want to share this Good News with our fellow man. Our life is bathed in the infinite glow of Christ’s love for us which sustains us and gives meaning to our existence. We know that God “…wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.” (1Tim 2:4). We desire to bring others into that same light that illuminates our own lives. We are moved by compassion for those in the shadows who do not know Him.

3. Everyone deserves a chance to know Christ. In today’s society, we cannot assume that an individual has heard the Good News in a positive manner from someone who has experienced Jesus and has a relationship with Him. Because we know Him, we have a duty to share Him with others so that they can decide whether they choose to follow Him or not. This sacred duty should not be left up to Hollywood, the Internet, or the nightly news. “We cannot keep to ourselves the words of eternal life given to us in our encounter with Jesus Christ: they are meant for everyone, for every man and woman….It is our responsibility to pass on what, by God’s grace, we ourselves have received.” — Pope Benedict XVI -Verbum Domini

4. Because the need is great. We are surrounded by people who are hungering, thirsting, and dying for the Good News in their lives. They ask the questions that have been with man from the beginning: Is there any sense, any meaning to life? Why am I here? Why is there suffering? Does anyone care? Is there hope? Is this all there is?  If we have the answer to their questions – Jesus Christ – then to withhold the way, the truth and the life is unjust and calls our own inaction into question.

That person you’ve been thinking about who has drifted away from the faith needs you. Be a disciple.

What Does the Bible Say?

 

“It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go out and bear fruit that will remain…”

— John 15:16

“So we are ambassadors for Christ”

— 2 Cor 5:20

Evangelizing Challenges This Week

 

1. Pick up a Catholic CD from the kiosk in the front of the church, the narthex. Listen to it and then pass it on to someone. You will be sharing the message of the Gospel when you do.

2. Follow Pope Francis on Twitter. Join Pope Francis’s 3.1 million followers on Twitter where his daily tweets are being retweeted an average of 11,000 times. Tweet to Pope Francis @Pontifex

3. Explore a ministry. Find out about one of the more than fifty volunteer ministries at Good Shepherd. By giving back of your time and talents, you are also getting outside of yourself to move our parish and our faith into the work of delivering the good news of salvation to the world. Talk to someone involved in a volunteer ministry this week. Connect. Grow. Serve.

I Made a Difference to That One

Most of us are familiar with the modern parable of the man who walked down to the beach one morning after a powerful storm. The wind and waves had thrown thousands of starfish up on the sandy beach where they would soon perish from the rising sun. He came upon a small boy who was picking the starfish up one by one and casting them back into the ocean. The man shook his head and told the boy, “Don’t you know there are too many? Their fate is sealed. You’ll never make a difference. The boy looked up and down the beach, bent down, and picked up another starfish. Flinging it into the surf, he looked the man in the eye, smiled and said, “I made a difference to that one.”

Whether saving starfish, stopping littering, or helping former Catholics or non-Catholics back to the historical church of Jesus of Nazareth, we have a duty to perform and this is done one person at a time. We must reject the excuses that appear in our minds. Continuing with these excuses from Patrick Madrid’s Search and Rescue:

6.  “I don’t want to”

OK. Here we are. We have peeled down to the deepest layer, what all the other excuses are built upon. “I’m lazy and afraid and unsure of myself. I’m not the right person for this job. And when you get right down to it, God, I really don’t want to go on this mission for You.” Moses tried this. “…oh my Lord, send, I pray, some other person” (Exodus 4:13). In spite of his objections, God promised that He would provide Moses’ brother Aaron to be Moses’ speaker, for Aaron was an eloquent speaker. Today, in your own life, God has provided you with many Aarons. Here at Good Shepherd, we have Bible studies, Faith and Fellowship, Catholic Faith overview, Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) retreats, Rosary and Donuts, Women’s Group, Men’s Club, etc. The kiosk near the entrance to the church is filled with wonderful CD’s that you can confidently hand to a friend or coworker. There are dozens of Catholic websites (such as Knights of Columbus www.kofc.org or United States Conference of Catholic Bishops www.usccb.org) where you can learn more about your faith.

 

There are lots of other excuses: “I’m too old; I’m too young; I’m too shy: I don’t have time; I’m not prepared; I’m too busy; I don’t want to look like a religious fanatic; religion is a private affair between God and me…”

            Stop with the excuses.

            God is calling you.

            Just do it.

            Be a Disciple!

What Does the Bible Say?

“You don't know the first thing about tomorrow. You're nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing.  Instead, make it a habit to say, ‘If the Master wills it and we're still alive, we'll do this or that.’"

— James 4:14-15

 

“Go 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.”

— Matthew 28: 19-20

 

 

Evangelizing Challenge This Week

Wear a bracelet (there are even mini rosary bracelets), wrist band or pendant that identifies you as a Christian; or have visible in your workspace, office and your home a crucifix, holy card, picture of Jesus or a saint. You are called to be a disciple and to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15); and to youth in particular, Paul wrote in his first letter to Timothy, “Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Until I arrive, attend to the reading of scripture, preaching, and teaching.” (1 Timothy 4:12-13). Without saying a word, you are witnessing for the Faith and for the peace, grace and mercy of Jesus.

Lord, Just Show Me a Sign

In the movie “The Man With Two Brains”, Steve Martin is a neurosurgeon who is widowed and finds himself falling in love with the very beautiful and seductive Kathleen Turner. Wishing to deepen his relationship with this new woman in his life, he goes to his bedroom and addresses a portrait of his late wife hanging over the bed. He asks her that if there is anything wrong with his feelings for this new woman, to simply give him a sign. Immediately, a haunting, loud voice begins to cry out “No! No! No!”… The lights begin to flash on and off, an earthquake cracks the wall behind him, a strong wind blows debris across the closed room, and the portrait begins to spin in circles. With no change in his expression, Steve Martin continues “…just a sign, any kind of sign, I’ll keep looking for it” He takes the portrait off the wall and says “Meanwhile, I’ll just put you in the closet”.

Sometimes, we want to put our responsibilities to God in the closet and ignore signs that He sends us. We become heroically blind to what we should do. Such can be the case with God calling us to evangelize our fellow man. Continuing with last week’s topic of common excuses on why people don’t evangelize, taken from Patrick Madrid’s book Search and Rescue:

3. “What if they simply ignore what I’m saying?”

This excuse is irrelevant. Our role is to plant the seed; it is God’s role to give it growth. Your friend or loved one may ignore your words today, but the Holy Spirit may work with him to reflect on them more deeply and see the truth in what you said. Pharaoh certainly did not accept Moses’ message when he delivered it to him. He spurned Moses and ignored him. But God came up with ways to soften Pharaoh’s heart and comply with the request of the old spiritual “…Let my people go!”

4. “I don’t have the training to speak to people about You, God”

People often say, “I get nervous and tongue-tied” Moses tried that one. “Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past… nor now that You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and tongue.” (Exodus 4:10) As today’s youth would say – Lame. “It is I who will assist you in speaking and will teach you what you are to say.” (Exodus 4:12) Mother Teresa was far from an eloquent speaker but she drew others to Christ with her humble direct way of teaching the Faith.

5. “I’ll do it next time”

A near perfect excuse! We can avoid God’s call to share our faith and still not feel guilty! “I’m going to do it, just not now – I’m too busy.” The problem is that some opportunities only present themselves once in a lifetime. We have no way of knowing if there will even be a “next time” for that individual person. Carpe Diem.

 

What Does the Bible Say?

“Apart from me, you can do nothing”

                                                       — John 15:5

“I can do all things in Him who strengthens me”

                                                       — Philippians 1:4

“It is I who will assist you in speaking and will teach you what you are to say.”     — Exodus 4:12

 

 

Evangelizing Challenge This Week

Evangelize yourself! Get one of the exciting spoken word CDs from the kiosk in the narthex. Strengthen your faith, expand your knowledge of the Church, more effectively cooperate with God’s grace, become a better instrument for the extension of God’s kingdom. Build your personal relationship with Christ by simple direct prayer and by listening to the testimony of others. The suggested donation for these is very low indeed.

 

“We try to be a Church that comes out of itself [to those] who do not participate… do not know much about it...are indifferent to it” – Pope Francis

 

Be a Disciple.

 

 

 

 

You Are More Than Qualified

We all have a tendency to wallow in the comfortable laziness of non-personal responsibility when faced with a problem that seems insurmountable. “I’ve done this all my life and everyone I know does it; why would I possibly change?”

                The construction of the interstate highways system in America was authorized in 1956. With an increasingly mobile and convenience-oriented consumer society, littering from vehicles was the norm and didn’t even register on the individual American’s conscience. It was only through campaigns such as Woodsy the Owl (“Give a hoot, don’t pollute”) and the American Indian Iron Eyes Cody shown tearing up roadside as trash was tossed at his feet that individuals began to see they had to assume personal responsibility for the all-pervasive problem of litter.

                The need to evangelize our family, friends, and neighbors is greater than it has been in generations. Just as the excuses to throw that gum wrapper out the window are no longer acceptable, the abandonment of our responsibility as mature Catholic Christians to share the Good News is no longer acceptable. The excuses are as old as the hills. God has heard them all. Patrick Madrid lists some common excuses in his book Search and Rescue:

1. “Lord, you’ve got the wrong person.”

Come on, evangelization is for priests, nuns, religious ed teachers, and that guy named Pat who lectors the 9:00 am mass. I’m just a busy _________ (here is where you fill in the blank with student, Mom, Dad, retired person, etc.) Moses tried this excuse when God asked him to lead His people out of slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. “Who am I that I should be the one to go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt?” in Exodus 3:11. And God answered “I will be with you”.

Today (yes, today) God is asking you to rescue a soul who has left the Catholic Church or one who has never experienced the graces available through Jesus’ church. You may fear that you’re too shy, you lack eloquence, or you don’t have ready answers to people’s objections to the Faith. Just remember what God tells Moses: Don’t worry.  I will be with you.

2. “What authority do I have to do this?”    This may occur to someone when they are considering sharing their faith with someone who knows their faults and weaknesses well. You worry he will say, “Who are you to tell me about this? You’re not perfect, yet you think you’re qualified to tell me about God?”

 

Remember at such times that you are not giving them a message that originates from you; you are reminding them of something they were taught in their youth – something they know deep down in their hearts to be true. You are offering them truth, joy, and freedom – not condemnation.

 

What Does the Bible Say?

“Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it.”

—     Ezra 10:4

What Do the Saints Say?

“There are a great number of Christians who would be apostles … if they were not afraid.”

—     St Josemaría Escrivá

“Cast yourself into the arms of God and be very sure that if He wants anything of You, He will fix you for the work and give you strength.”

—     St Phillip Neri

Evangelizing Challenge This Week

For practice, pick someone close to you – a Catholic family member, friend, neighbor or co-worker – and simply strike up a non-threatening, loving conversation. “Hey, here’s something I’ve been thinking about our faith…” Become accustomed to having a quiet conversation about faith.

The Harvest is Plentiful, The Laborers Are Few…

“

Frodo: I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil.” 

      – The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien, Catholic author

Deciding to take the initial steps to evangelize someone takes courage. We must trust in our Father to do the work and to supply us with the grace to accomplish His will. We must, however, heed His call and cooperate with His plan to save us and save those whom we are evangelizing. Remember that you are offering someone a gift, the pearl of great price, and it would be wrong to withhold the Good News from them. For many years, the average Catholic in the pew has seen the task of evangelization as lying in the hands of the clergy. Approximately 98.5 % of the Catholics in the world are laypersons. Leaving it up to the other 1.5 % to proclaim the Gospel and lead people to Christ just doesn’t make sense.  Besides, we live in a different world even than that we knew just two decades ago. The forces of secularism, scientism, and modernism have turned our world on its head. In the mid-1960’s, the rate of Sunday Mass attendance was 75 %. According to a recent Pew study, only 30% of Americans who were raised Catholic are still “practicing” – meaning they attend Mass at least once a month. Roughly half are at Mass on a given weekend .The picture is even worse for the young.  More than 50% of adult Catholics are now Gen X (ages 26-46) or Millennials, (ages 18-25,) attending at a rate of 13 % and 10 %, respectively. (…”The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Luke 10:2).

We have to stop thinking that it is somebody else’s job to evangelize and start making it our own. Remember that we are simply planting the seed; it is up to the Holy Spirit to accomplish conversion, or reversion back to the Catholic faith. Some Catholics seem to cherish a false humility - the notion that “I’m insignificant and don’t presume that God is calling me.” That is false humility, a lie. It is almost a rejection of the gift of salvation and the work of the Holy Spirit in your life bestowed upon you in Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist.

We have the right, duty, and power to tell people about Jesus Christ and his Church.

 

You (you, the one reading these words now) are the one being called to evangelize now precisely in this place that God has planted you.

“ Perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14.

As Gandalf explains to the reluctant hero Frodo, the forces of evil are great in the world, but so is the force of good. God has placed us here and now. “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

∞

Prayer For Courage

Lord, please give me courage to love you. Give me courage to serve you. Give me courage to tell others about you. Give me courage to grow closer to you. Give me courage to pick up my cross each day as you picked up yours. Remove from me all fear so that you can put me to work for your kingdom. Amen.

— Greg Willets, The New Evangelization and You

What Does the Bible Say?

“ For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self control.” 2 Tim 1:7

Evangelism Challenge This Week

Visit Catholic Answers Online and Listen on EWTN Radio.

Catholic Answers is the largest Catholic apologetics and evangelization organization in North America. They are lay people devoting a full-time effort to promoting the Catholic faith. The website is easy to remember — Catholic.com

Be A Disciple.