![\"laughter\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/149\/2015\/05\/laughter-300x300.jpg\")
<\/a>The other day I was at the meat counter in the supermarket and a young black guy with the name tag \u201cDesmond\u201d said \u201cHello Father!\u201d<\/p>\nHe\u2019s wearing a hair and beard net because he\u2019s handling food. He\u2019s bright and is cheerful, upbeat and helpful.<\/p>\n
Because he calls me \u201cFather\u201d, I ask, \u201cSo are you a Catholic?\u201d<\/p>\n
He smile, \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Me: \u201cI can help you with that.\u201d<\/p>\n
He laughs and says, \u201cI\u2019m not big on religion. I believe in God and try to do good. I reckon that\u2019s enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what an awful lot of people think, but do you mind if I give you something to think about?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I don\u2019t mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, you see, the spiritual life is a long, hard journey, and you wouldn\u2019t want to go on a journey without a map would you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess not.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe formal religion with all the rules and stuff. That\u2019s like the map for the journey. The journey is the most important, but you need a good map.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u2019s listening. \u201cOK\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOr think of it this way. You\u2019re playing the game, but you need a rule book and a referee right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, the formal religion gives you the rule book and the referee for the game. It\u2019s the game that\u2019s important, but you need the rule book and the ref or you don\u2019t really have much of a game.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI need a couple of those sirloins for the grill.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll get those for you. Thank you Father.\u201d<\/p>\n
So I tell you that story because, it seems to me, that this is one of the most effective ways to evangelize: not preaching hellfire and brimstone all the time (although there is a place for that) but to watch for conversations and openings. You don\u2019t have to have all the answers, but you need to have a bit of courage and a good bit of enthusiasm and joy.<\/p>\n
Why joy?<\/p>\n
Because real joy is absent in our world. Have you noticed?\u00a0Continue Reading<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The other day I was at the meat counter in the supermarket and a young black guy with the name tag \u201cDesmond\u201d said \u201cHello Father!\u201d He\u2019s wearing a hair and beard net because he\u2019s handling food. He\u2019s bright and is cheerful, upbeat and helpful. Because he calls me \u201cFather\u201d, I ask, \u201cSo are you a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":557,"featured_media":19091,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"laughter\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/149\/2015\/05\/laughter.jpg\")
<\/a>The other day I was at the meat counter in the supermarket and a young black guy with the name tag \u201cDesmond\u201d said \u201cHello Father!\u201d<\/p>\n