Boise

Country: United States
State or province: Idaho

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Lucy Stamm
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Rejoice With Me! - 2023-06-11

June 18, 2023

“We have seen incredible things today” (Luke 5:26)! So thank you again for your prayers for the Boise Catholic street evangelization effort.

Early in the session, a few groups of tall, good-looking men and women walked by. None of them accepted a Rosary, but the evangelist couldn’t help but notice that they all walked like fashion models.

A man from the nearby parish stopped, showing his bulletin from Mass. “Tom” is 78, and recently moved back to Boise after being away for 17 years. He said the cost of living is lower here and crime is less. When here before, he had been very active in the Knights of Columbus, and his wife had helped serve meals. But she passed away just over two years ago, following an incapacitating illness. (May she rest in peace!) Tom said he didn’t need a Rosary because someone at the parish makes them and had just given him a very nice chain one, which he planned to give to his bus-driver friend. E. Lucy offered him a copy of the Rosary pamphlet to give to her, too, and he accepted. May God grant him salvation!

A girls’ hockey tryout was just finishing up in the sports arena. One mother stopped to chat as she waited for her daughter to join her. She was not interested in either Rosary or getting to know Jesus Christ. May God draw them to Himself, regardless.

Two young men, perhaps still in their teens, asked where they could find a free meal. Unfortunately, the evangelist didn’t know the current meal schedule. She asked another man, later on, but he was embarrassed to not know, either.

A group of three or four teenage girls stopped for a Rosary. One accepted a copy of the Good News/kerygma pamphlet and they all listened to the evangelist encourage them to get to know Jesus Christ. But they seemed to be merely polite, but not really interested. May God touch their hearts anyway!

Some other teens stopped for Rosaries, some of whom were Catholic.

A man, probably in his 20s, was dressed in pink, fluffy, bunny-like women’s clothes. Surprisingly, he accepted a Rosary, though he declined the pamphlet on how to pray it. May God grant him healing and peace!

At one point, the evangelist turned around to see a group of 8-10 large men, walking shoulder-to-shoulder, and stretching almost all the way across the walkway. Dressed similarly in grey suits, the evangelist wondered if they might be part of a professional football team. They were already nearly upon her when she noticed them and she gave a startled gasp, which drew a smile from some of the men. She quickly scanned the line, picked out the leader (3^rd in from her right) and offered a free Rosary, holding up a couple of the blessed items for them to see. Surprisingly, the man looked suddenly sheepish, declined the offer, and broke off from the group along with 2-3 of the men beside him (his lieutenants?). She turned and continued to offer Rosaries down the line. All of them declined the offer but, again, each displayed a similar sheepish expression as they broke into smaller groups and moved away. The evangelist got distracted at that point and didn’t see where they went. Lord, if they were men, please grant them true repentance from all wrongdoing.

A man called out, after declining a Rosary, that he “was going to hell anyway.” E. Lucy called after him, “but it doesn’t have to be that way!” Lord, have mercy on that man and grant him hope, the grace of repentance, and salvation!

During breaks between passersby, the evangelist became fascinated by what the sky was doing. Thunderclouds were moving in from the east, but some also from the north, a few from the south, and one from the west. (Unusual weather pattern for the area.) However, over the business park, the weather remained sunny and calm. Thank you, God!

The session was nearly over and we hadn’t seen the man who repeatedly (and almost weekly) saluted his enemy or used increasingly foul language to speak against God. But then e. Lucy saw him. This time, she recognized him before she offered a Rosary and instead greeted him with a hearty “Hi!” That literally stopped the man in his tracks a moment. Then he looked around, saw our sign with “Catholic Truth” at the top, accused the Catholic Church of promoting sinful behavior, and strode away. Notably, though, there was no foul language. In fact, he worded the accusation so delicately that if any children had been present, they wouldn’t have understood. Also, notably, the evangelist was not tongued-tied for once, and called in reply, “No, she has always forbidden that kind of behavior.” I think we just witnessed the Holy Spirit blowing a huge chink in the man’s armor and beginning a profound healing within him. God loves him so much and wants him saved! (Until we find out his name, I’m dubbing him “Justin”.) May God keep “Justin” off-balance enough to let him respond to God's grace to bring him all the way home to Catholic Sainthood!

On this Corpus Christi Sunday, we gave away 12-15 Rosaries and its pamphlet, a Divine Mercy prayer card, and a Good News/kerygma pamphlet.

Please pray for us again today? Ask God to send people to us with hearts prepared to perceive their need for Our Savior Jesus Christ and His Holy Catholic Church, and that much good fruit for His Kingdom comes of today’s efforts.

God is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament and He truly wants all to be saved. So thank you again for your prayers and other support for this apostolate. In turn, may God protect and greatly bless you and all those you love!

“Go with the strength you have” (Judg 6:14).