Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

 

Do you want your faith to come alive, be vibrant and truly enrich your heart and soul? Or are you fine just the way you are – Mass most weekends; confession every once in a while; parish picnics, Lenten fish fries, maybe; tossing a few dollars in the collection basket. Soul searching will tell you that’s not enough. The New Evangelization calls us to renew our faith so that we can share it. Before one can evangelize, one must be evangelized. A disciple of Christ must continually renew his or her faith. The disciple who then shares the faith is an evangelist. The Church is called to renew her faith in every age and at the same time proclaim it: The Church is an evangelizer, but she begins by being evangelized herself. This means that she has a constant need of being evangelized, if she wishes to retain freshness, vigor and strength in order to proclaim the Gospel. And that freshness, invigoration and renewed strength begins with you! Secularism wants to confine faith to Sunday. The New Evangelization involves the proclamation and demonstration that the Christian faith is the only fully valid response to the problems and hopes that life poses to every person and society. The New Evangelization offers hope, not in a program or philosophy but in the person of Jesus Christ, who comforts those who are burdened.

 Get Involved! 

Do not simply be a “consumer” of the Church, be the Church! Good Shepherd hosts and enables 53 lay ministries or “Connect Groups” which are ways to kick-start your own evangelization; plus there are dozens of Small Church Communities at Good Shepherd. By bringing your own precious time and talent to bear within a group working together toward a goal you are an evangelizer!

Just because you’ve expressed an interest in a lay ministry by checking a box on an information form, don’t think you’ve done your part. Don’t wait for someone one else going through those forms to call you someday – take the initiative to call or ask someone you know who volunteers in that same ministry how to get involved. Whether it’s Greeting, Ushering, Archangel Moms, Prison Ministry, being a Lector, or something even simpler – waiting means doing nothing and doing nothing isn’t enlivening your faith or evangelizing. The New Evangelization does not seek to invite people to experience only one moment of conversion and “get comfortable.” Rather to experience the lifelong process of conversion: to draw all people into a deeper relationship with God, to participate in the sacramental life of the Church, to develop a mature conscience, to sustain one’s faith through ongoing catechesis, and to integrate one’s faith into all aspects of one’s life – to become the Church! Get out of your comfort zone.

 

Providence

It’s more than just a city in Rhode Island; it’s God’s intervention in all things – even your evangelization. But it requires something from you.

How often do we think to ourselves, “Evangelization is not my responsibility; that’s for the clergy and religious. Certainly not me; I have no training or skill, I’m not persuasive. I’m too young (too old, too busy). No way! Evangelization must be someone else’s job.”

Today’s Gospel gives a good example of how Divine Providence makes a way where there is “no way.” The disciples said, “Dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food.” But Jesus had another way and Divine Providence fed the five thousand.

Christian teaching on providence in the high Middle Ages was most fully developed by Thomas Aquinas in the Summa Theologica. One of the foremost modern Thomists, Dominican father Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, wrote a study of providence entitled "Providence: God's loving care for man and the need for confidence in Almighty God." In it, he presents and solves, according to Church doctrine, the most difficult issues as related to providence.

The key words in Fr. Reginald’s study’s title are “confidence in Almighty God.” From simple beginnings, our own evangelization of ourselves, our friends and families, our communities and the whole world must start. And from simple, single, first steps made with confidence in Almighty God, we may build our own path of evangelization.

 

1. Read the Bible every day. Listen to hear the Holy Spirit speaking to you through what you have read.

2. Make your faith eternally visible by wearing a crucifix or simple cross, a shirt bearing a slogan or sign of faith, a ring or other small piece of jewelry showing your belief in Jesus.

3. When eating out or in the school or workplace lunch room, say grace silently, or at least quietly; bless yourself with the Sign of the Cross.

4. Make a habit of saying, “God bless,” or “Bless you,” to friends, family, colleagues and associates, when it is appropriate.

5. Pray each day for Providence to grace you with confidence, strength and joy enough to answer any question from anyone about God, your faith, or anything else.

What Does the Bible Say?

“But your providence, O Father! guides [a voyage], for you have furnished even in the sea a road, and through the waves a steady path showing that you can save from any danger so that even one without skill may embark.” (Wisdom 14:3-4)

Favorite Websites

Learning more about our faith, connecting with other Catholics around the world and listening to Catholic voices in new Expressions, with new Ardor through new Methods.

 The Catholic Thing is very scholarly but highly readable and updated daily, some of today’s leading Catholic writers are contributors to this blog – Anthony Esolen, Christine Niles, Hadley Arkes, Kristina Johannes, Daniel McInerney and David Warren. You will also find some classic essays by Archbishop Sheen, Fr. John Neuhaus and Cardinal John Henry Newman.

 

Founded in 2008, the Pious Sodality of Church Ladies is unlike any other Catholic blog I’ve encountered. Catholic ladies, to be sure, and pious I will believe that, too. But imagine your favorite Catholic female writers on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest serving up tips and advice on everything on God’s green earth – all with a healthy dose of humor and fun. The PSCL has a close relationship (perhaps overlapping ownership) with…

 Although very much a commercial, online magazine for women, Verily is also very much a website of which “the Church Ladies heartily approve!” That is, an online publication focusing on style, relationships, culture and lifestyle, all aimed at young women and all pleasing to read from a Catholic point of view.

Iconoclastic, idiosyncratic, honest and faith-filled, this Louisiana-based blogger has been at it since 2007. His observations and essays on current events in and affecting the Church are informed, unique and fully grounded in one man’s deep understanding of the Catechism and Church publications. The Opinionated Catholic - he’s the guy you would want to sit next to at a dinner party.

Whether you’re young or old, this should be in your favorites. FOCUS is a Catholic college outreach with a staff of over 350 and a presence on 83 campuses across the United States

Six Signs to Look For

This week, we begin a series on Being A Disciple: How to Evangelize. A writer for the “Catholics Come Home” organization brings us a way to start. You might know someone who was raised Catholic and is “homesick” for the Church. As an intentional disciple, be aware of these six signs someone is thinking about coming back to the Church.

1. Questions

The most common sign is when someone begins to ask questions about God, good and evil, or the meaning of life. A lot of people in our society have lost that sense of meaning. They begin to ask, “What is my life about? Why do I do what I do? Is there any purpose in all of this?” As a parent, spouse, sibling or friend, your role is not to restore that meaning, but to help the person find meaning for him or herself. You can do that by active listening. Non-threatening comments such as, “It sounds like you’re really searching...” will encourage the person to talk in a more open manner. You don’t have to offer solutions or answers. Offer your opinion only when asked.

2. Memories

Reminiscing about Catholic school, nuns, priests, or parish activities is another sign someone may be thinking about returning to the faith. Sometimes people will recall childhood devotions to Our Lady or the saints. Memories of music, incense, or some special liturgy will surface. Don’t be afraid to share your own memories. You might want to suggest revisiting a childhood parish together or seeking out a priest or religious who had a profound impact on the person. If remembering takes a negative turn, you don’t have to be defensive. The person may be justified in his or her anger. Sometimes, talking about a bad experience can help put it in a fresh perspective. If possible encourage the person to separate anger toward a person from anger at the Church and the Sacraments. It wasn’t the Church that caused the pain. It was a person connected to the Church. If a person is open to praying with you, ask the Holy Spirit to heal the pain of the memories.

3. Reading

Many Catholics who have been away from the regular practice of their faith read their way back to the Church. It’s a good idea to keep Catholic books, magazines, newspapers and even your parish bulletin in places where family members and friends can pick them up. If there’s something particular that you think might be of interest, recommend it to family members and friends. One woman sent books on Dorothy Day and Edith Stein to her sister who was struggling with how she perceived that the Church treats women.

4. Current Events

Catholic news events can trigger interest in some people. Make sure you’re up to date on Papal visits, Marian apparitions, Vatican announcements and local news about Catholic people and events. Even the reporting of sexual abuse by clergy and other Church ministers can be an opportunity to explain to people why you are still a Catholic. When people respond in a very strong way to the actions of some in the Church it is always important to listen carefully to what they are saying before responding. While we may think we know the reason for their reaction, it would be good to let the other person state it. Sometimes the strong reaction is because the person has been affected personally by what is being reported. When discussing any aspect of Catholic news it’s a good idea to emphasize the universality of the Church. Unlike other Christian denominations that tend to attract people with similar interests and backgrounds, the Catholic Church numbers one billion people with greatly different cultural, intellectual, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Someone once remarked that the Catholic Church means, “Here comes everybody!”

5. Major Life Events

Illness, death, divorce, the birth of a baby, a job loss or transfer, kids growing into their teenage years, moving to a new home are all life events that cause great change in people’s lives. Such change can make people feel adrift; they want to be able to pull into a safe harbor, to be anchored. Such changes can trigger a desire to return to the Church. Sometimes people are afraid the Church will reject them if they have been gone for a long time. Some think they are excommunicated. You might find yourself in a position of helping someone get accurate information about where they stand with God and the Church. We affirm that the immeasurable mercy of God is for all and that nothing is insurmountable to re-connecting to the Church.

6. God’s Presence

The real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is often a factor in bringing people back. People express a longing for the closeness and the strength that the Eucharist had brought to them. It’s hard for people to go to church by themselves. Be an inviter. Don’t send someone to Church. Bring them. Invite people to come with you for family funerals, weddings, baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, Ash Wednesday and Mass on Christmas and Easter. Having everyone gathering at the Table of the Lord for the “family meal” is certainly a wonderful thing to work towards. If they find it difficult to make that step or don’t want to go to Mass, you can invite them to parish social, cultural or educational events. But, some people need a “half-way house.” Keep the lines of communication open. Radiate God’s love to everyone you meet. Let the Holy Spirit work through you. Before long, you’ll begin to see that people will be attracted to the Church because they desire the faith, the love and the peace that you have come to know because of your relationship with God and with the Church.

– David Thorp, Catholics Come Home, Braintree MA

The First Evangelizers

Sometimes, the most easily understood analogies to modern sensibilities are business or organizational analogies. The New Testament clearly shows Peter as the leader of the apostles, chosen by Jesus to have a special relationship with him. With James and John he was privileged to witness the Transfiguration, the raising of a dead child to life and the agony in Gethsemane. His mother-in-law was cured by Jesus. He was sent with John to prepare for the last Passover before Jesus' death. His name is first on every list of apostles. Peter, you might say, was the first CAO (Chief Apostolic Officer) of the Church.

St. Peter, chief among Christ's twelve disciples, spent his life spreading the word of Jesus. And to Peter only did Jesus say, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:17b-19).

But the Gospels prove their own trustworthiness by the unflattering details. He clearly had no public relations person. It is a great comfort for ordinary mortals to know that Peter also has his human weakness, even in the presence of Jesus. He generously gave up all things, yet he can ask in childish self-centeredness, "What are we going to get for all this?" (see Matthew 19:27). He receives the full force of Christ's anger when he objects to the idea of a suffering Messiah: "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do" (Matthew 16:23). He loyally resists the first attempt to arrest Jesus by cutting off Malchus's ear, but in the end he runs away with the others. In the depth of his sorrow, Jesus looks on him and forgives him, and he goes out and sheds bitter tears. The Risen Jesus told Peter to feed his lambs and his sheep (John 21:15-17).

For all the suffering brought to Judea by oppressive Roman rule, it also brought the latest advances of technology. St. Paul used the very latest technology of his day to spread the Good News – the paved roads of the Roman Empire. Not surprisingly, in light of his preaching and teaching skills, Paul's name has surfaced (among others) as a possible patron of the Internet. But it is amazing to grasp the truly radical nature of St. Paul’s evangelization. If the most well-known preacher today suddenly began preaching that the United States should adopt Marxism and not rely on the Constitution, the angry reaction would help us understand Paul's life when he started preaching that Christ alone can save us. He had been the most Pharisaic of Pharisees, the most legalistic of Mosaic lawyers. Now he suddenly appears to other Jews as a heretical welcomer of Gentiles, a traitor and apostate.

Paul's central conviction was simple and absolute: Only God can save humanity. No human effort—even the most scrupulous observance of law—can create a human good which we can bring to God as reparation for sin and payment for grace. To be saved from itself, from sin, from the devil and from death, humanity must open itself completely to the saving power of Jesus.

Paul never lost his love for his Jewish family, though he carried on a lifelong debate with them about the uselessness of the Law without Christ. He reminded the Gentiles that they were grafted on the parent stock of the Jews, who were still God's chosen people, the children of the promise.

Thanks to Wikipedia.org, American Catholic.org, Catholic News Agency, the New Orleans Times-Picayune and USCCB.net.

What Does the Church Say?

“It is always useful to teach the faithful to realize the importance and significance of the feasts of those Saints who have had a particular mission in the history of Salvation, or a singular relationship with Christ such as … Sts. Peter and Paul (29 June)”

—Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy

What Do the Saints Say?

“Both apostles share the same feast day, for these two were one; and even though they suffered on different days, they were as one. Peter went first, and Paul followed. And so we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles' blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith.”

—St. Augustine of Hippo, 395