Evangelizing the evangelizers!

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

This morning’s Gospel from the Sermon on the Mount ( Mt 7: 21 - 29) has always been very powerful for me, personally, but listening this morning, I was reminded of the crucial importance of the “heart” and what the heart is moved to do in, and through, an evangelizer.

If we are not “known” by the Lord or know Him and do His Will through listening to His Word, how can we bring Him to others?

My husband wrote a blog article addressing this issue: See HERE

PS I posted a link to this blog article in the Spirituality section of CA but had only one reply. It may be that members of that forum feel they are already listening to scripture enough – I don’t know – but I’m posting the link now in the Evangelization section because it may be that persons here have more zeal and may appreciate hearing again perhaps at a deeper level what they have begun to learn from Jesus.

 

[Neofight]

The crux of verse 21 is not the importance of merely knowing Jesus as Lord, but walking in his path.

If we read Mark 1:24 (and the parallel reading in Luke chapter 6) we see that even demons and evil spirits “knew” Jesus was “the Holy One of God”.

The message of today’s reading is that just claiming to know Christ is not sufficient for salvation, but that we must imitate him.

As Saint James tells us in his epistle, we need to be doers and not just hearers of the word.

Peace and all good!

 

[womanatwell]

Hello MariaChristi,

I went to your blog and read both posts on the Parable of the Sower. I quote a small section here:

It must be said, lest the reader wrongly “compartmentalize” these four kinds of heart – wrongly thinking that these must be four different persons! They could be describing the same one person, at four times or stages of his life of discipleship. Healing for a human person – spiritual healing, for a strong and fruitful spiritual life – is a life-long process that is indicated by this wonderful parable. The parable presents four typical conditions of the heart – four which can be discovered in any sincere seeker of the Truth!

As a convert from Protestantism (and a long history of various mindsets), I feel also that the journey toward holiness can be very long. I know from this forum that you have a lot of experience with educating people about the faith. I have tried to evangelize by writing, and yet I’d like a more personal experience of bringing people into the Catholic Church, as many Protestant persons are oriented to try to do. Yet I have this feeling that the Catholic Church expects others to immediately change and be good or even to have been good before they get here. Such is the case, for example, of those who are not married and have had several partners or are divorced several times. There are many “out there” just like that. I agree with what your husband writes, but how do we help others get from one place to the other in a practical way? Perhaps I need to read the Catechism in the right place, and I’d appreciate if there is more information in this line to know where it is.

 

[MariaChristi]

The crux of verse 21 is not the importance of merely knowing Jesus as Lord, but walking in his path.

If we read Mark 1:24 (and the parallel reading in Luke chapter 6) we see that even demons and evil spirits “knew” Jesus was “the Holy One of God”.

The message of today’s reading is that just claiming to know Christ is not sufficient for salvation, but that we must imitate him.

As Saint James tells us in his epistle, we need to be doers and not just hearers of the word.

Peace and all good!

Dear Neofight,

Thanks for your reply. The priest who helped me first begin listening to God’s Word as God speaking to me, reminded me: every verse in His Word “fits” into a complete whole. He often advised when I had a question about a particular verse to keep listening and I’d hear the answer. If I didn’t hear the answer, then he suggested, I probably didn’t have a good question.

Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate this holy priest’s advice. We simply cannot take any verse out of the context of the whole. Thanks for pointing to other parts of scripture to help anyone who may not have realized the importance of not being a “hearer only”.

Hopefully, you will read the blog article, if you haven’t read it. I introduced a link to the blog in my thread, with today’s Gospel because some want to evangelize without “knowing” Jesus more deeply. The blog article helps the reader to ponder how the Lord God Incarnate teaches His Disciples. It is important to listen to Him to know Him deeply, and to do what He says.

There are, as you point out, different ways of “knowing” but God wants an intimate relationship with His disciples. Knowing him as demons do “from the outside” is very different from knowing Him in the deepest recesses of our hearts. The more our relationship grows, the more we receive His Love, the more we can share with others.

Sometimes we can “think” we know a person, only to find we had only a superficial knowledge, and when we spend more time with that person and really listen, we find a new depth to that person. By God’s Grace, it is similar in our own spiritual growth. It is important for all of us, but particularly for those who want to share Jesus with others, to take time to really know Him and not merely “about Him” so that we are able to bring “Him” to others.

Perhaps you have heard the difference in listening to persons who “evangelize” from their hearts like Bl. Mother Teresa, St. John Paul II and others – they bring Jesus, not just themselves and their own opinions. Not sure if I’m making myself clear but I hope you will read the blog article and perhaps make comments after you read it. Thanks again. You can read it HERE

 

[MariaChristi]

Dear womanatwell,

Thanks so much for your reply. I went to your blog to refresh my memory, since I had read it sometime ago when you replied on another thread. I’m sorry about your husband’s health difficulties and decision to discontinue his blog, but I trust God is working all unto good for him and for you, in the beautiful oneness of marriage.

I’m glad you are re-considering your blog – to continue it at end of summer or in the fall. Blogs can be blessings to readers and to those who write. Here is something you wrote on your blog, March 2, 2015:

…Our efforts to tell others about Jesus Christ are often seen by outsiders as tiresome. But the salvation He has offered us is toward a wondrous joy of a growing relationship with God…

This quote relates somewhat to what you are concerned about in your reply, as you said:

…I have tried to evangelize by writing, and yet I’d like a more personal experience of bringing people into the Catholic Church, as many Protestant persons are oriented to try to do. Yet I have this feeling that the Catholic Church expects others to immediately change and be good or even to have been good before they get here. Such is the case, for example, of those who are not married and have had several partners or are divorced several times. There are many “out there” just like that. I agree with what your husband writes, but how do we help others get from one place to the other in a practical way? Perhaps I need to read the Catechism in the right place, and I’d appreciate if there is more information in this line to know where it is.

I wonder if the “outsiders” you spoke about in your blog are considering what you tell them as “tiresome” because they think they know Jesus and they think you don’t need to tell them anything. I wonder also if your feeling that the Church expects others to change immediately is stemming from the reactions of others. I know from your blog you have read some of the classic Catholic Spiritual Writers like St. John of The Cross, Catherine of Siena and Bernard who all spoke of the journey to holiness which is traveled in stages: Purgative ( the beginner’s stage), Illuminative, (intermediate stage) and unitive (perfect stage) expressing the truth that our journey is not a “quick fix” but a growth in the relationship with God, into eternity in the Beatific Vision.

So how do we help others get from one place to another in a practical way? It depends on the person or persons you are with, it seems to me. Certainly your blog gives you the opportunity to assure people the way to holiness is open to everyone. ALL are called to holiness. If you are in a one to one conversation, it is different because you may know more about the person in front of you, so you can speak more personally to that person. In both cases, you can encourage persons to listen to God Who reveals Himself to us in Scripture. He also reveals His love for us and helps us discover more about our life in Him.

Jesus invited His first disciples to “Come and see” when they asked where he was staying and they stayed with Him the whole day, as John relates in his Gospel, chapter 1. We need to spend time with Jesus ourselves and get to know Him, so that we can bring Him to others. Some are already seeking Truth, as those first disciples were, and are ready to listen to Him, others may need to see in us His Love before they know how much they need to know Him more… but as St. Therese of Lisieux said wisely: “Everything is Grace”. We can, only by His Grace, bring Him to others and they each must receive Him which is their own response to grace. We need to pray for them, especially if they’re “tired of us”.

We need to pray before we speak or write to others, for the Holy Spirit to guide us, and ask our Blessed Mother for help. All grace comes through Mary. God the Father sent His Son through Mary the first time, and He continues to send Him through her --whether we realize it or not! We need to keep praying for all those in need of God’s Mercy. I thank God for the grace He has given you to seek and to find Him in the Catholic Church. Like the Wise Men, who journeyed, we find Him with Mary His Mother. My husband’s book, The Ordinary Path to Holiness has helped many people, you may want to consider reading it. It gives excellent helps especially to lay persons on our spiritual growth through stages as taught by Jesus and His saints. You may want to recommend it to others.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a wonderful gift to us which enables us to give accurate answers to questions on teachings of the Church. It is not meant to give us a “plan” or “formula” but to help us understand what the Church teaches. I find the index to the Catechism a great help in answering some persons who want to know why the church teaches certain things that they cannot find in their Bibles. The Bible is the most frequent reference the Catechism uses, since the Church recognizes God’s Revelation comes to us through Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church.

Let me stop here and hope this helped a bit. Please let me know if you have more questions or want me to clarify or discuss anything further.

 

[womanatwell]

I wonder if the “outsiders” you spoke about in your blog are considering what you tell them as “tiresome” because they think they know Jesus and they think you don’t need to tell them anything. I wonder also if your feeling that the Church expects others to change immediately is stemming from the reactions of others.

So how do we help others get from one place to another in a practical way? It depends on the person or persons you are with, it seems to me. Certainly your blog gives you the opportunity to assure people the way to holiness is open to everyone. ALL are called to holiness. If you are in a one to one conversation, it is different because you may know more about the person in front of you, so you can speak more personally to that person. In both cases, you can encourage persons to listen to God Who reveals Himself to us in Scripture. He also reveals His love for us and helps us discover more about our life in Him.

I have appreciated your feedback and it reminds me I have a tendency to generalize my experiences and therefore do not always communicate precisely. Since my blog writing is over a period of time, I have to think back about what I was thinking and why I have continued anxiety over some experiences. I think, even without remembering specifically, they cause me to worry about the future and how people may react to evangelization.

I do have a worry about how people who have been married and divorced may come to the Church (and I have to sort out about joining the Church and re-marrying in the Church). It seems like a large hurdle to get an annulment when it may already be challenging for them to get to know the Lord. Since expressing this concern above, I looked on the Internet and found some Canon Law about it. I have looked in the Index of the Catechism but did not find a reference I felt would address that problem specifically. Maybe I should read everything about marriage, but I think the Canon Law, though I’m not a lawyer, will be more of a source for that which I am looking. Thanks again for your concern.

 

[MariaChristi]

I have appreciated your feedback and it reminds me I have a tendency to generalize my experiences and therefore do not always communicate precisely. Since my blog writing is over a period of time, I have to think back about what I was thinking and why I have continued anxiety over some experiences. I think, even without remembering specifically, they cause me to worry about the future and how people may react to evangelization.

I do have a worry about how people who have been married and divorced may come to the Church (and I have to sort out about joining the Church and re-marrying in the Church). It seems like a large hurdle to get an annulment when it may already be challenging for them to get to know the Lord. Since expressing this concern above, I looked on the Internet and found some Canon Law about it. I have looked in the Index of the Catechism but did not find a reference I felt would address that problem specifically. Maybe I should read everything about marriage, but I think the Canon Law, though I’m not a lawyer, will be more of a source for that which I am looking. Thanks again for your concern.

Dear womanatwell,

Thanks for your reply. The Catechism can help us understand and appreciate in deeper ways, what the Catholic Church teaches about the Sacrament of Matrimony. In understanding what the Church teaches we can then help others. Canon Law is important – as any good law is – to “protect and safeguard” the Truth. Often, however, it is hard to be patient with legal terminology. Regarding worries and anxieties, remember. God’s love cast out fear (cf 1 John 4:18). Our Good Shepherd is seeking souls with us. We’re not alone.

One of the ways we’ve sought to help people better understand Marriage and the Annulment Process is to host an “Annulment Workshop” as part of our “Returning Catholics Program” at our parish. God willing, this January we’ll have our third such workshop and fortunately, God is providing the same wonderful canon lawyer, a woman who has both compassion and credentials and does a beautiful job. The workshop is held on a Saturday morning 10 am to noon with a break at midpoint. Our speaker was gracious enough to take private questions during the break and after the workshop as well as answering questions asked during her presentations.

She came from our Diocesan Tribunal at the invitation of a parishioner who serves the parish and diocese as a “coordinator” and helps people fill out the necessary paper work for filing a petition for annulment. We invited our entire parish and sent notices to the neighboring parishes to come to this workshop mainly for information to then share with anyone they knew – family and friends, or to bring someone who needed an annulment. We had 50 persons attend the first workshop and 60 the second year. We may have more this third year. January seems a good month since the RCIA for new Catholics begins in September and some may need more information if they are in “unusual circumstances” regarding marriage.

Also this year, it will be important to learn from the “Synod on the Family” (to be held in Rome this October). Re-marriage after divorce will be discussed. The Pope usually writes a synodal document afterwards, so there may be some clarifications on Church teachings and procedures. Some dioceses have slightly different procedures but the Universal Church is aware of the many challenges faced by Families today. Divorce is a heartache for many. I’ve worked with some couples who filed petitions for annulments and they have all been grateful for the process and the joy they experienced afterwards. One woman told me she was sorry she waited 20 years before seeking and receiving a decree of nullity.

Praying over parts of the Catechism deepen our own understanding of the Church’s teachings on Marriage, enabling us to help others understand the very high regard and reverence, the Church has for this Sacrament. I speak of the Church as the Body of Christ, knowing some members of the Church remain ignorant of teachings.

In the Catechism, paragraphs #1601 through1666 are devoted to the Sacrament of Matrimony. Other sections can be helpful also: 1) For understanding the value of everyone’s Vocation and Dignity as a Human Person #1699 - 1727 and 2) understanding the 9th Commandment #2514 - 2533. Every effort we make to know God’s Truth is well worth the effort. We can be blessed also in reading the entire Part IV of the Catechism on “Prayer.” God blesses us with His Truth, making us a blessing – carrying Him to others. Jesus is our Way, our Truth and our Life. Again, please feel free to ask more questions or discuss anything further. Thanks for seeking to help others find the fullness of His Truth in the Catholic Church. As Pope Paul VI wrote: “The Church exists to evangelize”.

 

[womanatwell]

One of the ways we’ve sought to help people better understand Marriage and the Annulment Process is to host an “Annulment Workshop” as part of our “Returning Catholics Program” at our parish. God willing, this January we’ll have our third such workshop and fortunately, God is providing the same wonderful canon lawyer, a woman who has both compassion and credentials and does a beautiful job. The workshop is held on a Saturday morning 10 am to noon with a break at midpoint. Our speaker was gracious enough to take private questions during the break and after the workshop as well as answering questions asked during her presentations.

She came from our Diocesan Tribunal at the invitation of a parishioner who serves the parish and diocese as a “coordinator” and helps people fill out the necessary paper work for filing a petition for annulment. We invited our entire parish and sent notices to the neighboring parishes to come to this workshop mainly for information to then share with anyone they knew – family and friends, or to bring someone who needed an annulment. We had 50 persons attend the first workshop and 60 the second year. We may have more this third year. January seems a good month since the RCIA for new Catholics begins in September and some may need more information if they are in “unusual circumstances” regarding marriage.

That was a wonderful idea and I’m sure a help for those who attended. Yes, it will be interesting to see what comes out of the October Synod. I hope to learn more, over time, about the Church stance about marriage through that and in your suggested reading and what I have found in cannon law.

Thanks very much for your help in answering my concerns.

 

[MariaChristi]

That was a wonderful idea and I’m sure a help for those who attended. Yes, it will be interesting to see what comes out of the October Synod. I hope to learn more, over time, about the Church stance about marriage through that and in your suggested reading and what I have found in cannon law.

Thanks very much for your help in answering my concerns.

Dear womanatwell,

You are very welcome. When I first saw your “username” I immediately thought of John’s Gospel and Jesus’ meeting with the woman at he well. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink”. ( John 4:7)

Later, when you replied to this thread I was re-reading the book, Mother Teresa: In the Shadow of Our Lady, and suddenly I began to connect that Gospel passage of the woman at the well in John’s Gospel with Mother Teresa of Calcutta and her desire to satisfy the thirst of Jesus for souls. I continue to ponder the vision Mother Teresa had and revealed to Father Langford MC.
http://www.mcpriests.com/03spirituality/images/christ_mother.jpg
There is so much to ponder in it and Mother’s explanation to Father Langford MC about our own need for Mary in order to nurture the seed of God’s Word in us. Who better than Mary to help us know Jesus better and bring Him to others?

 

[womanatwell]

Yes, this is obviously a favorite story of mine, which can be read in John 4:

usccb.org/bible/john/4 .

Jesus Christ approached a woman who was not only of the “wrong” race, according to the Jewish people, she had been married 5 times and living with another man. Why would Christ discuss His Messianic message with her of all people? He could probably not have picked someone who was more of an outcast at the time.

And yet after their talk, she ran to the townspeople to tell them. She immediately believed in Him and how excited she must have been! She must have evangelized well, because they believed and invited Him to stay, which He did for two days. He took them into His heart, and they took Him into theirs. In John 4:42, the Samaritans state they believe that Christ is “truly the savior of the world.”

I often see the verses of Christ referring to marriage, but not often do I see this passage discussed in the effort to straighten out the “divorce problem” we are in. I am sure Christ did not tell the woman she had to get annulments in order to come to Him. Though I want to learn from the Church leaders, right now I believe they are letting divorce get too much in the way of evangelization. I think Pope Francis believes that too, although I certainly realize I can’t speak for him. He asks for mercy. I think we need to explain why marriage is important, then leave it to conscience as with other decisions of individuals.

I discuss this in a way that I know we can learn from each other and I hope we can reach the decisions that are pleasing to God, and try to do His will.

 

[MariaChristi]

Yes, this is obviously a favorite story of mine, which can be read in John 4:

usccb.org/bible/john/4 .

Jesus Christ approached a woman who was not only of the “wrong” race, according to the Jewish people, she had been married 5 times and living with another man. Why would Christ discuss His Messianic message with her of all people? He could probably not have picked someone who was more of an outcast at the time.

And yet after their talk, she ran to the townspeople to tell them. She immediately believed in Him and how excited she must have been! She must have evangelized well, because they believed and invited Him to stay, which He did for two days. He took them into His heart, and they took Him into theirs. In John 4:42, the Samaritans state they believe that Christ is “truly the savior of the world.”

I often see the verses of Christ referring to marriage, but not often do I see this passage discussed in the effort to straighten out the “divorce problem” we are in. I am sure Christ did not tell the woman she had to get annulments in order to come to Him. Though I want to learn from the Church leaders, right now I believe they are letting divorce get too much in the way of evangelization. I think Pope Francis believes that too, although I certainly realize I can’t speak for him. He asks for mercy. I think we need to explain why marriage is important, then leave it to conscience as with other decisions of individuals.

I discuss this in a way that I know we can learn from each other and I hope we can reach the decisions that are pleasing to God, and try to do His will.

Dear womanatwell,

Yes, God choses His evangelizers – and He does so carefully – always choosing the best one for His Purpose! He knows the heart of each one. Many whom He chose thought maybe He would do better to choose someone else – Mother Teresa of Calcutta comes to mind. In fact she once told someone if God could have found one more unworthy, and of any less ability to do what He was asking, He would have chosen that person!

St. Juan Diego said a similar thing to Our Lady when she wanted Juan Diego to be her messenger to the Bishop. In fact, Fr. Langford MC draws several parallels between those two humble saints and their missions in this world – especially to the poor and those who need to know Jesus. Mother Teresa also said that to be without God is the greatest of all poverty. (That is not an exact quote but close).

The Woman at the well “left her jar” and off she went – she didn’t think of what people might think of her – she went ( as Our Lady went “with haste”) to bring the Good News of Jesus!

May God guide the Catholic Church in this important Synod – especially our Pope Francis, as Mother Church looks with mercy on all her children and seeks to do the Truth she hears from God.