BLOG POST | Hey Deacon!

 
Q. What do you get when you cross a Jehovah’s Witness with a Catholic?
A. Someone who knocks on your door and says nothing.

When I was growing up, sharing our Catholic faith outside the home wasn’t done.  Discussing religion was a no-no.  I truly enjoyed going to Mass and being an altar server, but the very idea of evangelization was intimidating.  For me, evangelization implied being a bible-thumping, street corner preacher with the hope of bringing people to know Jesus Christ.  As I grew in my faith, I began to realize that my perception of evangelization was incorrect.

Many Catholics believe that the job of evangelization is only for certain people: the priests, deacons, and maybe some specific lay people.  You’ve probably heard this quote attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words.”  However, we must go beyond this thinking and actually use words.  By the virtue of our baptism, we are united to Christ. We share in his three-fold mission as priest, prophet, and king.  We are sent forth to pray, to evangelize, and to serve.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC  905) states that lay people are to fulfill their prophetic mission by evangelization, "that is, the proclamation of Christ by word and the testimony of life. For lay people, this evangelization . . . acquires a specific property and peculiar efficacy because it is accomplished in the ordinary circumstances of the world.”

Pope Francis, in his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, reaffirmed that the new evangelization is a summons to all the faithful.  He also noted that it is to be carried out “in three principal settings.” The three settings are 1) ordinary pastoral ministry (to inflame the hearts of the faithful); 2) outreach to “the baptized whose lives do not reflect the demands of Baptism;” and 3) “evangelization to those who do not know Jesus Christ or who have always rejected him.

So how can we do our duty to evangelize and remain comfortable? 

Be yourself. Be a friend. Friendship is one of the best ways of helping others to discover life’s deeper truths. Evangelization takes place in the normal, daily routine. It’s more about walking with others and pointing out the beauty of the horizon, than pushing them in a different direction. Let your behavior, your comments, and your attitude reveal something different in you.

Be brief. Be honest. Always be confident in your witness. When others know of your Catholic faith, there is a good chance they have a question, maybe even an objection to Catholicism. Don’t be defensive and clam up.  When put on the spot, you may need to reframe the question to politely correct any errors or misinformation about Catholic teachings.

If it doesn’t go well, don’t stress over it. The Holy Spirit is pretty good about equipping us with a good response even if we feel our answer lacks depth. Sincerity and honesty go a long way. There is a good chance you will have further opportunities to share your faith.

Finally, keep your eye on the goal, which isn’t trying to “sell” Catholicism. The goal is loving Christ and sharing that love. To share Chrit’s love, you start by sharing it with the person right in front of you. Evangelization means stepping outside of your comfort zone and putting yourself in other people’s shoes.

So what are we Catholics waiting for?




Author Bio:
Deacon Dan Vaughn