Tony and I were out on the Denton Square last Saturday afternoon for the festivities leading up to the Christmas tree lighting that evening. The great thing was that there were a lot of people to talk to; the drawback was . . . that there were a lot of people to talk to. We had our free rosaries and many, especially families with children, were lined up to get one. People were coming at us so fast that it was a challenge to have a meaningful conversation with very many. In just under two hours, we handed out over 150 rosaries, about one every 45 seconds on average. We're hopeful that on our next outing, we'll see some of these folks again in a somewhat calmer environment so that we can engage them more effectively. Still, I did manage a couple of longer conversations and I offered my card along with an invitation to coffee for further conversation.

Meanwhile, Tony was able to have two great conversations that included prayer. Tony relates his interactions:
- I greeted Larry, a single man walking by, with a simple “Merry Christmas." He paused just long enough for me to ask how his day was going. He came closer to me and said he was going to see his daughter’s drill team performance. I asked if he would like a rosary, and he said “Yes.” I asked about his daughter, and he started talking about her and his other daughter. Then he stopped and was quiet and looking down for a few moments. He looked up and was starting to cry. I asked if he was OK and if there was anything that we could pray for together. He said he was angry with God but agreed to let me pray for him. He said his wife died of leukemia last year at this time after fighting for two years. We spent 15 minutes talking about his girls and his wife. Then I prayed for him. I don’t remember the words, but he was thankful. I encouraged him to pray with his daughters tonight. He smiled and said it had been a long time since they prayed together.
- Angela and her two children were waiting in line for a picture with Mrs. Claus. I asked if she would like a rosary, and she said that would be very nice. She told me that her mother was in hospice and was a devout Catholic. I asked when the last time was that she prayed the rosary, and she said it had been a very long time. I gave her a brochure on the prayers for the rosary and said that praying the rosary with her children was a wonderful way to get closer to Jesus. I encouraged her to pray the rosary with her mother, too, then asked if I could pray for her and her mother.  After our prayer, she smiled and thanked me and said she would try praying with her children that night.

We thank God for those he put into our path today and pray that the Holy Spirit will use our words to nurture a seed of faith in all of them.

Lelon