by Deacon Dana Nearmyer
The office of evangelization wants to help you fulfill your critical role in God’s eternal plan for your family and friends.
The Enflame Our Hearts, Homes and Communities webpage at: archkcks.org is full of step-by-step help in passing on the faith. The page has a section on where to start that features two 30-minute podcasts or three 10-minute videos that break down the basics.
The treasure of freedom in Christ is passed on through deep, caring relationships. There are stages of spiritual development that we all go through. Understanding the stage of faith that our loved ones are in helps us understand how to listen and accompany them on their journey.
Trust has to be earned. Many people, especially today, are in a stage of pre-trust of Jesus and the Catholic Church. The first of the 10-minute videos explains this further.
The second of the videos explains living a “prayer/care/share” lifestyle. Prayer links us to Jesus’ love, joy and moment-by-moment guidance. We pray asking God to tell us who and when to share the faith with and how — even what to say, or often more importantly, what not to say.
We listen to God, and watch for divine appointments, intersections of relationships that God has woven together to allow you and I to be his instrument in caring for others, building trust and sharing the good news of Jesus’ love.
Timing is everything. God tells us when, how and how much to share, often only small bits at a time.
Part three asks us to prioritize the filling of our hearts first, then our homes and finally our community. Your community is broken down like Jesus did, into your 3, 12, 72 and crowds.
Jesus had Peter, James and John. What three souls, outside of your home, are you called to pray, care and share with? Who are your 12? Jesus had his disciples. Jesus sent the 72 and preached to the crowds.
Many of us have substantial social networks that we project an image to. How do you use that opportunity to show the source of our peace and joy?
God has a plan for his children to reach and support each other in passing on the faith. It is our job to listen and be his hands, feet, listening ear and sometimes his voice.
Jesus first wants to fill each of our hearts with his love and our eyes with the miracles that happen around us every day.
Secondly, his plan is that we are nurturing each other’s interior life, especially in our homes, and this involves listening deeply to each other about real concerns.
The greatest level of spiritual impact is found in allowing God to form our hearts, then our homes and lastly in the 3, 12, 72 and crowds of your community.
The Enflame website can help you to spend eternity with the ones that you care most about in just 30 minutes.
