Missionaries and evangelization experts tell us that one of the most effective means of drawing someone into the faith and an encounter with Jesus Christ is to elicit their curiosity. Curious people ask questions, which gives us the opportunity to share our faith with them.
This is why St. Peter tells is to:
…be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope (1 Peter 3:15).
Below are four ways we can live our faith in Christ in a way that elicits curiosity and questions from those around us.
Pray in public.
Bless your meal when you’re at a restaurant. Say the Rosary while on a walk around the neighborhood. Offer to pray with those going through a hard time. When we demonstrate our faith in the power of prayer and God’s response to our needs we invite others to consider how their lives might be transformed through prayer.
Treat everyone with respect and dignity.
The unfortunate truth is that our culture lionizes those who denigrate and insult their enemies. Jesus gives us a radically different command: to love and pray for those we dislike and disagree with. When we refuse to engage in gossip or dehumanizing talk, stop to speak to a homeless person on the street, and advocate for just treatment of the poor and the outcast, we stand up for the vision of human dignity Christ left us: “love one another” (cf. John 13:34-35).
Observe the liturgical seasons.
Our family doesn’t put up our Christmas tree until the week before Christmas. In an era where stores have Christmas merchandise for sale in August(!) this simple act feels like an act of rebellion. We also keep our tree up throughout the entire Christmas season. Whether it’s fasting and refraining from meat in Lent, listening to Advent music (it does exist!) in December, or celebrating saints’ feasts, conforming our lives to the liturgical calendar is a small way of keeping the faith in front of ourselves and those we meet.
Participate in the Works of Mercy.
Service to those around us witnesses to our love for Jesus, for Jesus said that “What you do for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do for me.” (Matthew 24:40) Catholic schools, hospitals, social service agencies, homeless shelters, soup kitchen, and other charitable outreaches are powerful opportunities for the Church to demonstrate her care for the world by reaching out to the margins. When we participate in these endeavors we help others encounter the transforming power of Jesus through us.
