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Thus far I have practiced sharing the Kerygma with my wife and mother. The four part model is easy to remember and makes sharing the Kerygma quite simple. I think though, that it’ll be better when sharing it in the moment with someone I don’t know. I look forward to being able to incorporate my story into the four part method.
At work this past week I shared how my relationship with Jesus Christ has kept me sober. I shared that it wasn’t until I surrendered my life to Him that I was able to turn away from my selfish and self centered desires. I couldn’t do it alone and having to accept that was paramount for my recovery.
Though I certainly didn’t follow the four step method to a tee, I shared how life was before I had a relationship with Christ, and what I had to do in order to surrender. I mentioned to my coworkers, one of whom is Catholic, that I had been sacramentalized in the Church but never evangelized. I didn’t know Jesus Christ. Hopefully I can develop this approach over time.

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This exercise has proven to be a bit of a challenge for me! I found it rather easy discerning who I would intercede for, but when contemplating how I could establish a conversation conducive to the gospel, I was discouraged. I have spent some time in prayer for these two individuals before the Blessed Sacrament. I know that The Holy Spirit is the only way that I can conceive any measurable success here. I will continue to have faith and pray for the Holy Spirit to present me with opportunities to evangelize through my witness and words. I trust that Our Lord will give me the words to say when the time comes.

One individual that I am praying for is a coworker. He is very open about his lifestyle, which includes a lot of drinking, and often times I am disturbed by the way he talks about the women he spends time with. It is my hope, and I pray, that I can be courageous in the face of these conversations; to witness the love, mercy, and redemption found in the person of Jesus Christ.

The second individual is an acquaintance of mine. He was openly an atheist for many years. He admits that even when he would stub his toe, he would rather say “golly” instead of the Lord’s name in vein as an alternative. He is now a more spiritual person and practices some sort of rudimentary prayer to his “higher power”. From what I understand, he doesn’t himself have a clear understanding of God yet. He has only accepted the existence of one.
My acquaintance is openly skeptical and nearly hateful of religion. I am willing to be patient and gentle for as long as necessary. At the moment I feel moved to speak with him the most for he is quite intellectual and I believe that he could be reasoned with much more than my coworker. I also believe that he is open to fair and friendly debate.

Please keep me in your prayers also, that I may carry out the will and command of Our Lord in this effort.

Pax Christi,
Francis

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