So I have noticed something...
As Catholics, we just love to talk about evangelizing. We love it; talking all about how great it is to reach out to others and share the Good News (aka the Gospel)...well that's great and all, but how many of us actually do that? and how?
Ok, mission trips...they are great. Love them, really I do and I know that we need them. It is great to reach out to the hurting, and the hungry, and the lonely, and the poor. Mission trips are necessary for us to help those who need it!
Are there other ways to evangelize though?
I know what you're thinking...oh heck no I am not going door to door to try and sell my religion...and I am not asking you to.
I am just saying that I have noticed something about Catholics...we tend to stick together. We form little Catholic bubbles...sure we break out of them some times like when we go on mission trips...but what about in our day to day lives?
Helping those who are faithful to grow in their faith...ok a good place to start...
what about just being friends with other people.
Being friendly with someone who does not follow the Catholic faith is not a bad thing. You do not have to push your religion on them, you don't even have to talk about religion if you don't want to. Just to be a good friend can be exactly what they need.
But we are scared sometimes I think, to make friends outside of our Catholic bubbles. We are scared that they may pop our little bubble. We are scared that they may reject us.
It takes someone strong in their faith to be able to enter into the rest of the world, no doubts about that, but some people learn from example. Some people need that warm loving friendship...that unconditional love just in order to be open to the idea of following a religion.
Sometimes just being nice to someone is enough to get them to start questioning...why? Why are they being so nice to me? How can they find good in all this bad?
and then that starts the ball rolling...
Hey Brittany. You're right about us needing to go out and share more. And we don't necessarily need to share the Gospel. If we can share that, hopefully it means we're living out in our actions in some way that will be apparent, (without being annoyingly obvious).
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about being afraid of rejection. What most often happens is that I practically find myself looking for excuses to mind my own business, and to assume that others want to mind theirs. If you don't mind me asking, how do you share? In your experience, do people usually appreciate another person reaching out and extending friendship?
Jeremiah
Hi Jeremiah! I am currently student teaching so most of my reaching out involves my students (which means of course I am not allowed to say much about them on the internet). I just love to love them. It is a public school so there are some things I just can't do...but I can love them. I can be kind, and gentle, and love each one as God's child. Being children, they of course love being loved...and they totally return it (My wall is covered in my students' lovely artwork). I am friendly with the staff there as well. They seem to enjoy a friendly encounter. Outside of the school I simply make friends with people. I do not judge based on their religion. Generally after becoming friends with a person (or even before) the fact that I go to church will come up. They may have questions, they may tease me, they may be indifferent. Sometimes it leads to conversations as to what/why I believe. I am always open to such conversations.
DeleteI have indeed been laughed at, by someone I had only known for a few hours. The topic came up because of something I was wearing and I was laughed at in public, quite loudly...Its a tough one to deal with for sure, but I acknowledge the fact that others have their own opinion. After the initial laugh we were able to talk about our differences.
I have seen others quite successful at reaching out to others. Sometimes on accident. On rare occasions I have seen absolute joy in a relative's face as someone they had befriended a long time ago has asked a question or shown some interest in why we believe. That curiosity, that openness to being taught; to having things explained...that right there is fantastic!