The power of talking about the faith: Homily for Monday, May 6, 2024

Readings for Today. Listen to our other podcasts.

The power of talking about the faith

Paul had great success in Philippi. In fact, it was one of the most successful places of his missionary journeys. But today, I think one thing that stood out to me is the power of just entering into relationships with people and talking about the faith.

Paul finds himself with his companions addressing some women down by the river. He was hoping to pray, but this must have interrupted that desire, and the outcome was the faith of this woman, Lydia. She was already a believer, but apparently not yet a Christian because she had not been baptized. She must have made quite an impression on Paul and the companions, and he on her, because she offers hospitality, and Paul takes her up on her offer.

There are a number of elements that I think are critical when we think about the notion of evangelization. It is a word that gets used a lot in the church today, but not always, I think, with any kind of understanding. We know it’s important on some level, but we don’t really quite know what it is, and perhaps even more specifically, how we are to participate in being those who evangelize.

I think today’s first reading gives us a model. The first is simply, the first step, rather, is simply prayer. Paul went to encounter the Lord. Out of that prayer comes the second step, which is simply conversation. What Paul began and his companions began, we don’t know in their conversation. It could have been that he jumped right into religious topics, but I suspect that at least on some level, he took some time to get to know them.

After all, Paul was a tent maker, which meant on some level, he had to be a salesman because people had to buy the tents he made. It set him up well, by the way, for a missionary journey. As an example of God’s providence, the fact that Paul had an occupation, a skill, and a trade, but not only that, one that really could be done anywhere, made it so that he could say with pride that he never relied on the money of others.

He was always self-sufficient. But at some point, Paul began to talk with Lydia about Jesus. It gives us a pattern of behavior for our own lives, too. First prayer, then conversation. I would add to that hospitality. And then perhaps someone will come to the faith, in which case we acknowledge the great gift of God. Let us pray today that God may help us to evangelize, to share the good news, to introduce a world that so desperately needs to know Jesus, a friendship that lasts forever.

On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.

About Author

thefriarwebmaster

See author's posts