Questions for Reflection/Discussion by Catholic Men
1. Why is the call to evangelization not just for priests and religious, but for all Catholics?
2. How would you explain the responsiveness of Lydia and the Philippian jailer to Paul’s preaching, and the unresponsiveness of Festus, Felix, and Agrippa?
3. Have you shared the Gospel with neighbors or family members? What were their reactions?
4. What practical steps can you take to respond to the call to evangelize? Why does it “often involve some combination of prayer and our words and actions?”
5. If you are in a men’s group, at the end of your meeting pray for one another (use the prayer at the end of the article) that each of you would have the courage to be a witness of God’s love to this broken world.
6. Once again, in the upcoming weeks, be alert to any doors the Lord may open for you to talk to members of your family or others about the gift of salvation you have received in Jesus Christ. Share the fruits of these at your next men’s meeting.
[Editor's Note: This is the fifth of a series of articles on the theme, “Growing in Faith and Spiritual Maturity as Catholic Men.” Click here to find the first article, second article, third article, and fourth article.].
This is a continuation of articles on three stages of growth in our Christian lives as Catholic men, i.e.,
1. Conversion
2. Transformation
3. Mobilization for Mission (especially Evangelization)
The previous Catholic Man Channel articles have covered each of the three stages of growth. The previous article described our mission or call to evangelization, using the Apostle John as an example. This article will describe some ways to put this call into practice, using the Apostle Paul as our model. Listen to these words of Paul to Timothy:
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:1-5)
How did Paul follow this “charge” to Timothy in his own life? A good example is when Paul, almost twenty years after his conversion to Christ, found himself in Athens surrounded by pagan temples. Paul didn’t preach a message of condemnation. Instead, he spoke about a loving God who longs to reveal himself to everyone through Christ (see Acts 17:15, 22–18:1). Another example is Paul’s attempt to preach the Gospel to Felix, the Governor of Caesarea, his successor Festus, and King Agrippa. Paul got nowhere with any of them. Why was it that some seemed open to the Paul’s preaching of the gospel message, but others weren’t?
Paul was preaching just as clearly to Festus, Felix, and Agrippa as he did to Lydia (see Acts 16:11-15) and the Philippian jailer (see Acts 16:25-34) — both of whom had dramatic conversions. Ultimately, we must conclude that it is a mystery why some respond to the good news and others don’t. Our job, like Paul’s, is to keep trying to bring Christ to others, and leave it to the Lord to determine the timing and the depth of their response to our invitation.
What else can we learn from Paul’s constant attempts to preach the gospel? Simply, that we should do the same. We are to be ready in season and out of season, whether it is convenient or inconvenient, just as he counseled Timothy (2 Timothy 4:2). Bringing people to Christ does not have to mean banging them over the head in a pushy or obnoxious way. It often involves some combination of prayer and our words and actions. Extending a caring hand to a hurting neighbor, taking steps to heal a rift in a relationship, and faithfully working hard in our jobs are all ways that we can proclaim the truth that Jesus Christ is risen and lives in us. Of course, we should also look for opportunities the Lord gives us to speak about our faith and to explain how it helps us and strengthens us in our daily lives.
It’s easy to look at unbelievers or those whose faith is weak and condemn them for the way they might chase after money, be caught in sexual immorality, or just live self-centered lives. Yet we should learn from Paul. The temples and idol worship in Athens greatly distressed him, but he held out hope to the Athenians. How can we move from condemnation to compassion?
If we were able to look into people’s hearts, we would see that everyone longs for fulfillment and happiness. Every person on the face of the earth has a deep, natural desire for God’s life. The problem is that many have yet to grasp that the true source of the peace and fulfillment they desire comes through Jesus.
As Jesus met fishermen, tax-collectors, rabbis, prostitutes, housewives, and so many others, he saw how they were trying to satisfy their inner longings for God by seeking fulfillment in other ways. And to each person, no matter how confused by sin they were, he extended the opportunity of repentance and the hope of new life in him.
But what about those I love who haven’t responded to my witness about the Lord? What about those who still seem far from Christ? Keep hoping! Keep praying! Keep trusting! The Lord may have this person on a ten-step path to conversion, and you may be playing a crucial role in step six or seven right now. So never give up, and never lose hope in Jesus.
Jesus promised that we would do even greater things than he (John 14:12). Bringing the gospel to our families, friends, and neighbors — and even to strangers — is part of this promise. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we can reach out to people and offer them the hope that is found in Jesus. We can be like St. Paul, spreading the gospel in ways both large and small “in season and out of season,” and we can always be prepared “to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15).
“Lord Jesus, I ask you to give me the heart of an apostle — a heart that longs to be your witness in all that I do and say each day. Pour out a special blessing on my words to reach those I love with the gospel. Never let me lose hope in your power to heal and to save everyone! Lord, we all have a secret longing for you. I pray for all those who have placed their hope in this world. Lift up their eyes to you, O God, boundless in mercy and love, so that they can find in you the peace and joy that can truly satisfy.”
(Maurice Blumberg is Executive Director of the National Fellowship of Catholic Men. This article is part of NFCM's sponsorship of the Catholic Man channel. Contact NFCM at P.O. Box 86381, Gaithersburg, MD 20886 or e-mail them at info@nfcmusa.org. Many thanks to The Word Among Us for allowing us to adapt material from daily meditations in their devotional magazine. If you would like to make a contribution to the NFCM, just click here.)
Reflection Questions on Page 2
