Catholics as Evangelists, You Can Do It

Catholics as Evangelists, You Can Do It

By Larry Peterson

         We Catholics hear much about evangelizing and evangelization. (read Evangelium Gaudium). I believe evangelizing starts with each one of us. We have to be willing to say the name of JESUS in public. I am not suggesting that we stand on a street corner screaming His name. Instead, when we are with others, friends, relatives, and even people online at the supermarket, we should wait for the opportunity to present itself where we can mention Jesus' name. It can be hard to do, but you can do it.

         Here is a hypothetical example. You are due for an oil change for your car. You pull into a garage that advertises “10 Minute Oil Change; $16.99.”  You park your car and walk over to the waiting area. Three people are sitting there. They all have their heads buried in their cell phones. Since there are no more seats, you stand to the side and lean against the wall.

         One customer stands and walks over to look into the shop at the cars being serviced. He is close to where you are standing. He says to you, “Man, I have this oil leak going on. I’m  praying it is not a big deal.”

         And there it is---your moment to evangelize. The customer had started the conversation and used the word “praying.” You say, “I’m a praying man too. Been doing it a lot lately. Life can be a challenge at times.”

        He responds, “Yeah, ain’t that the truth.”

        Okay---You hooked the fish. How do you land him?

 Here is how I try to evangelize:

            I carry small crosses in my pocket. They are called ‘pocket crosses or comfort crosses.’ They are small enough to wrap your hand around. I take one from my pocket and tell the man I want to give something to him. Then, I show him the cross and explained its purpose. Remember, he used the word ‘praying,’ but I took the first step. To evangelize, you must be ready to do that. The example shown was hypothetical. What follows did happen.

            Recently, a spontaneous and evangelizing moment presented itself at a local family restaurant in a town called Pinellas Park on the Florida west coast. It is aptly called the Parkside Café. My friends and I go there often.

 I had a feeling (was it the Holy Spirit).

            A short while ago, they hired a new busboy. I began talking to him and found out his name was Brian. He was a junior at Dixie Hollins High School, which was nearby. After about two weeks, I saw him again, and we began to talk. I had a feeling, so I asked him, “Hey Brian, do you love Jesus?” He replied, “Yes, I do.”  So I gave him a Comfort Cross and explained how he could carry it in his pocket, and he always will have a friend named Jesus nearby who he can hold onto if needed.

            A few weeks passed, and our friend, Father Daniel, a Mercedarian priest,  was visiting from Cleveland. We saw him Friday, and he was supposed to leave Saturday morning, but his flight was put off until 6 P.M.

Father Daniel arrives a second time

            Several of us were at Parkside Saturday morning for breakfast. Brian is working,and was filling my coffee cup. In comes Father Daniel. I wave him over, and I quickly tell him about Brian. Then I asked Brian if he would mind if Father blessed him. He agreed. The Mercedarians wear white habits with a large, white scapular over the back and front. They also wear black Saturnos. These are hats that look like the planet Saturn. Seeing a Mercedarian friar in his habit is like taking a peek into the middle ages. It is a beautiful thing to see.

             Parkside was packed. Standing next to our table in the center of the dining room, Father Daniel began the Evangelization moment at the Parkside Café.

A Spontaneous Evangelization Moment

            Father raised his hands over Brian’s bowed head. All heads turned to watch this Catholic moment. Father prayed for maybe a full minute. Then he blessed Brian. It was no quick blessing as his hand traveled vertically from above his head down to his waist and then up and horizontally from his shoulder to the edge of his other shoulder. It was a marvelous visual for the hundred or more patrons who quietly watched. Talk about a spontaneous evangelization moment. It was awesome. I heard later from one of the servers that the whole place was abuzz about the priest and the blessing.

            Interestingly, it all started with one pocket cross given to one teenager. That morphed into more than a hundred people witnessing a Catholic priest bless and lay hands on that teenager. I have no idea if any of those folks witnessing those moments were brought to Jesus. But I know they were all thinking about HIM.

            We all need to find our own Catholic “hook.” Mine is the Comfort Cross. (You can find them online). If you have a favorite saint, get their prayer card and always have some with you to hand out when the opportunity arises. A card with the Lord’s Prayer printed on it is also quite effective to give someone. Use your Catholic creativity (trust me---it is inside you) and make your own evangelization tool. Remember—it is all about getting in the first few words. And what’s the key word? It is JESUS

            YEAH JESUS!!

 Copyright©Larry Peterson2023