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SeaStar
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| Posted: July 31 2009 at 12:09pm | IP Logged
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My dc have been enjoying the Moody Family series by Sarah Maxwell.
It has gotten me thinking... do you "witness"? Talk to people specifically about Jesus in order to make sure they have accepted Christ as their Savior?
In the last book of the series, one of the sons is feeling a little awkward about doing this. Then he made a comment that really struck me: if someone was unknowingly standing on the edge of steep pit and that ledge was about to collapse into a fiery pit, wouldn't you run up and say, "Hey! Watch out! Get out of here!!" and lead that person to safety?
He equates that to telling people about Jesus.
I admit I have never done this openly, other than talking about Jesus and Mary, etc in my normal, every day way.
But is this really our duty- something we *should* strive to do in an active way? Do you pray with your kids for specific people to be "saved"? Do you talk to strangers about your faith?
My first reaction to this thought was: oh, that is so not a Catholic thing to do- going around asking people if they are saved, or handing out gospel tracts, etc
Then immediately into my mind popped all the saints stories we read every day about all the missionaries who- guess what- went around asking people if they were saved and reading them the Bible.
Soooo... isn't that our job, too?
We try to witness for God by the example of how we live, but I wouldn't say you could exactly hold up my family as a living model . Maybe a more like a work in progress. 
Maybe "witnessing" more actively is something we need to work on?
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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MrsM
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| Posted: July 31 2009 at 1:13pm | IP Logged
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I think the Protestant understanding of "being saved" is different from the Catholic understanding. For us, it's not a once saved, always saved experience, it's an ongoing struggle to live out our faith, to "finish the race", as St. Paul puts it, working out our salvation in fear and trembling.
On the other hand, I think we are all called to evangelize, mostly in how we live our lives, giving good example and serving others. When opportunities present themselves for discussion, we try to share our faith in a charitable, natural way. Honestly, it doesn't happen very often for us, although our parish *is* hosting a booth at our county fair, and we are handing out fans and Catholic Answers booklets. So far, people have been happy to take them, but no one-on-one discussions have happened.
Interesting topic! 
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Lynn in California
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: July 31 2009 at 8:26pm | IP Logged
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The thing is that in our society today most people are perfectly aware of the Bible basics and the basic tenants of Christianity. And each person is on their own personal journey towards or away from Christ. "Witnessing" to people, asking them if they are "saved", often turns people off...even other Christians.
And most of the saints witnessed with their actions more than their words. They refused to back down in the face of persecution, they ministered even to those outside their own group, they lived in different ways from the mainstream culture. Even the missionaries didn't just go somewhere to preach at someone...like Blessed Father Damien they often had a mission of charity.
I agree that we do have a mission to evangelize, but "a mind convinced against its will is of the same opinion still". I evangelize by unashamedly being Catholic and loving it. I evangelize by being respectful towards and expecting respect from non-believers. I evangelize by being prepared to answer questions and correct misconceptions. I evangelize by trying to be humble and admit that even as a Christian I am not perfect but I hope I'm working towards perfection with God's grace.
I have prayed privately for the hard hearts certain people. I would be hesitant to pray for specific people in front of my children as that could cause all sorts of later problems. I see nothing wrong with handing out general information (like in the booth setting), but I think cornering people would cross a line.
I think of two things. 1) How would I want someone to witness to me? (After all, there are many Christians out there who do not believe that Catholics are Christians at all and need to be witnessed to.) and 2) They will know we are Christians by our love.
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Barbara
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Susana
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| Posted: July 31 2009 at 10:23pm | IP Logged
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I feel like and tell my children that we "witness" every time we go out in public.
We get a lot of looks and comments, and when I'm asked if I am going to "HAVE ANYMORE?!?!"  I tell them we are Catholic and that we believe children are a blessing.
Once, I was told that I had "enough", I kind of quoted Mother Theresa and said something like, "that's like saying there are too many flowers in the world". She couldn't believe her ears! We were waiting in line to see a childrens ballet, and after I said that to her she said that it was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard. She then started telling everyone around her what I had said, and even got on her cell phone to tell someone!
I get so nervous going out in public sometimes because I anticipate a lot of stares especially because my husband is a local musician, but the truth is that I really believe we can make an impact on people's lives. We only have 5 ages 7 and under, but I guess my husband and I look younger than we are (I'm 29 and he's 31), and that really get's people.
Anyway, to your question, do we witness? I would say, yes we do! :)
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Michaela
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Your post has been on my mind, Melinda.
I don't ask people if they "are saved" for the reasons given in the previous responses and the scripture shared in this thread on "Saved/Assurance of Salvation".
I'm not shy about sharing my faith or handing out tracts, though. Our neighborhood is frequently visited by JW and LDS. We are the only practicing Catholics in our family of fallen away Catholics and nondenominational Christians. I've stocked up on little booklets such as
Have You Been Saved? A Catholic Perspective and Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth. I enjoy studying apologetics...I always tell people it's what got me here!
My personal opinion is cornering people with beliefs is a huge turn off. As a child, I was told Jesus wasn't real -  - I had no interest in someone coming up to me telling me to believe in Him. Also as a child, my neighbor told me unless I repeated a paragraph after her (the sinners prayer) I could no longer play with her kids. My wall was definitely up and ear plugs were in most of my life!
I came into the Church after wanting to have what I saw in a few other people. Never underestimate the seeds you are planting without preaching!! When I lived in Vegas, I used to watch a woman in my inclusive homeschool group who just wasn't like everyone else. Women would try to take gossip to her (everyone else had an ear for it!!) and she wouldn't even respond. I watched as she just looked at the person in the eyes, without a word.... I'd never seen it before. It was amazing to me when everyone else was cutting down one another behind each other's back. She would make meals for families without "bragging" -- meaning I would see everyone signing up with emails to the entire group and she would quietly work behind the scenes...never caring if anyone knew. She wouldn't come to ladies night out to just talk (no games or something planned) because she believed it would lead to gossip....which it always did. Lights started going off because I knew she had something more. The other ladies were Christians also, but her fruit caught my attention. She never preached Jesus to me, but I realized I wanted to learn more about Jesus because of her. Simple little things that had a huge influence on me.
In the same way,about 10 years ago my DH wasn't open to learning about Jesus because the loudest mouth he knew would yap to him about how he better get to church in front of his wife, but DH knew that man was having affairs and how he lived away from his wife. DH thought Christians were hypocrits.
It was how a person lived day-to-day that captured us.
The Catholic blogs that I started reading never preached to me. There is a beauty that truly interested me. They were great witnesses to me.
Sorry to yap....
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Michaela
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Mary G
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There are two things I witness to all the time ... and encourage my kids to do the same:
1. that we are a Catholic family
2. that we love, live and learn in the heart of our home (aka, we homeschool !)
Both of these are slipped into conversations as every oppty and we really work at behaving appropriately in public so we get more smiles than frowns!
We also witness by being active in both our Church and our homeschool groups ... so we "walk the talk" too.
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Aug 03 2009 at 9:14pm | IP Logged
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Living by example does seem very important, and also not so "aggressive/pushy".
Which causes me to examine, again, what kind of example I set.
Somebody said, "Preach the gospel without words".
I think of that often... then again, when the kids are crying, and I'm on the phone with the insurance company, and the dog is throwing up on the stairs, and the fire department rings the doorbell to ask for a donation, I'm not sure how I'm supposed to manage it.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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JodieLyn
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oh.. you just walk into another room and close the door if you're actually on the phone with a live person that you've had to wait for ages to get on the phone in the first place.. everyone else will likely survive until you're off the phone.. and then you can settle the kids down and clean up the mess and the fireman at the door has probably already left
If you're just on hold, you hang up the phone and pick up one child or other.. and answer the door and tell him it's a bad time and if he has something to leave you'll look at it later.. and then settle everyone down and clean up the mess and try the phone again.. but the odds are chaos will erupt when you do simply because it's one of those rules... "when mom is on the phone, no one will stay content even if they would otherwise" 
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KauaiCatholic
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what a beautiful thread!
Michaela, far from yapping, you really touched my heart with your words. what a powerful example of witnessing.
and Barbara, you summed it up so well. words to keep in mind!
I am usually the lone, oddball Catholic in our Christian homeschooling group, so my presence evangelizes Catholicism more than I probably would on my own. I really hope my actions speak louder than words, because some of these gals have the "patter" down pretty good, IYKWIM! but now I'm thinking maybe I should get some of those booklets ... generally, I try to emphasize our similarities, explain the differences as best I can and pray mightily in between. 
SeaStar, I think it was St. Francis of Assisi who said "Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words."
(I found that here: Catholic quotes)
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 Viviane
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We can do no great things; only small things with great love. -- Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
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SeaStar
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Yes, thanks. I thought he might be the one.
I do know that it was Ghandi who said, "If it weren't for Christians I'd be one".
I think of that a lot. Ouch.
I also need to look into those pamphlets. They would probably help give the words to say when the opportunity arises.
Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts!
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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Jenny L.
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Viviane, this quote; "I am usually the lone, oddball Catholic in our Christian homeschooling group," could definitely been written by me. I too, hope that my actions speak louder then words.
The very few times that I have been asked about Catholicism, I have tried to talk about the similarities as well.
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Do you witness?
