A
AngelicDoctor
Guest
Out of the blue tonight a long-time friend since highschool has told me that he is interested in exploring religion. He came to me because he has known me to be a serious Catholic for many years. He wants to know where to begin. {How wonderful, been praying for this for years}
There are so many places one could start–prayer, the Bible, attending Mass, etc. I do know my friend pretty well, and I am trying to think about what might be a good starting point. He is educated, but not necessarily scholarly. He has partied more than his share (as have I) in his life… but he knows that there is something more out there. I thought about loaning him a copy of Thomas Merton’s Seven Story Mountain. This is the first book that I read as spiritual reading. I think that the story of a modern man confronting the emptiness of the world and turning to God might captivate him. Does anyone else know of any good convert books that might be good for someone who has grown up basically unchurched? (I think that Augustine’s Confessions might be a little too theological for the novice).
I am also going to talk to him about beginning to pray in a simple way–time in silence asking God to reveal Himself. Also, reading the Gospel of Mark might be a good entry way due to the concise and immediate way it communicates the kerygma. I am also going to write him my own experience of the Catholic faith and conversion.
Incidentally, after some time of ruminating, the movie about 80’s skateboard sensation Christian Hosoi really moved him to talk to me about where to begin [Hosoi’s story is a modern conversion tale about wealth, fame, drugs at early age, then prison, then conversion to Christianity; for example, see: http://www.secretsofsuccess.com/people/hosoi.html ]
Things along this vein would help. Thanks for any suggestions.
There are so many places one could start–prayer, the Bible, attending Mass, etc. I do know my friend pretty well, and I am trying to think about what might be a good starting point. He is educated, but not necessarily scholarly. He has partied more than his share (as have I) in his life… but he knows that there is something more out there. I thought about loaning him a copy of Thomas Merton’s Seven Story Mountain. This is the first book that I read as spiritual reading. I think that the story of a modern man confronting the emptiness of the world and turning to God might captivate him. Does anyone else know of any good convert books that might be good for someone who has grown up basically unchurched? (I think that Augustine’s Confessions might be a little too theological for the novice).
I am also going to talk to him about beginning to pray in a simple way–time in silence asking God to reveal Himself. Also, reading the Gospel of Mark might be a good entry way due to the concise and immediate way it communicates the kerygma. I am also going to write him my own experience of the Catholic faith and conversion.
Incidentally, after some time of ruminating, the movie about 80’s skateboard sensation Christian Hosoi really moved him to talk to me about where to begin [Hosoi’s story is a modern conversion tale about wealth, fame, drugs at early age, then prison, then conversion to Christianity; for example, see: http://www.secretsofsuccess.com/people/hosoi.html ]
Things along this vein would help. Thanks for any suggestions.
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