When presented with a fallen-away Catholic, how do you condense everything you love about the Catholic faith into a few minutes of conversation?
I was recently presented with such a dilemma. It was a 30-minute car ride with a young person teetering on the edge of seeking and another who only shared a brief claim of Christian faith.
In a flash, I prayed for the Holy Spirit to give me the right words then I mentally scrolled through various stories I could share. The roll-a-dex stopped squarely on joy and my own seeking journey. Meet them where they are, right?
As I reflect back, I was all over the place. First, talking about how I call myself a life-long Catholic revert; sharing the story of how my kindergarten rosary showed up every time there was a major life event about to happen; relating my love for Christ and Our Lady and their influences in my life; and finally, landing on my innate desire for pilgrimage. It was as if they had opened a flood gate and it all just poured forth into the open. I even told my new, non-committal Christian acquaintance he should try the Catholic Church because we are "pretty awesome."
Now I feel a bit silly having used the words "pretty awesome" but I trust the Holy Spirit would make use out of everything I said. I took my chance to sow seeds. Seeds I will never get to see take root or flourish. And, it is ok. I am just one worker in God's garden. I trust he has others to water and tend those seeds should they sprout someday.
In the meantime, I will do what I can for these 2 young people. I will pray for them.
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