Two by two: Daily Mass Homily--Thursday, February 5th, 2015

(Listen to this homily here).

            Shortly after moving to International Falls there was a knock on my door.  My Mom—who was visiting with Dad—spoke with two women who at the door before calling me over.  It was two Jehovah’s Witness going door-to-door.  I don’t think they knew I was priest, or what they were getting into!

            I have also noticed that we have two Mormon gentlemen in town.  To my understanding, such men go on mission for a year or two in which they walk through neighborhoods spreading their message.

            While we have different beliefs from the folks at Jehovah’s Witness and Mormon communities, I admire their zeal for mission.  I wonder what it would be like if we Catholics knocked on doors to spread the faith.  Jesus sent his apostles to do just this: “Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.”

            It seems to me that we are not all called to spread our faith by knocking on doors.  But too often we sell our evangelism short by thinking, “I don’t want to make someone uncomfortable,” or, “My faith is private”.  Too often we label respectfulness with lack of courage.

            St. Agatha certainly had courage.  She gave her life for our faith, shedding her blood as a martyr.

            We, too, have many reasons to be courageous in proclaiming our faith by our words, deeds and lives.  Jesus gave his apostles authority.  What he gave them was a taste of the work of the Holy Spirit which would be fulfilled at Pentecost.  Jesus gives us similar authority, and the same Spirit.  We have been baptized.  We have been confirmed.  Jesus wants the same Spirit at work in us that was at work with the apostles and with St. Agatha.  Trust in the Holy Spirit!  Be courageous to spread the faith!

            While we may not be called to go door-to-door, we are called to share the Good News to all we meet by our lives, our words and our actions.