Boise

Country: United States
State or province: Idaho

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Lucy Stamm
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Catholic, the Blessed Difference - 2024-01-21

January 28, 2024

More people are recognizing that Catholics are Christian. So thank you again for your prayers for the Boise Catholic street evangelization effort.

A children’s gymnastic tournament was beginning, just as we set up, and ended before we did. However, of the 200 or so family members and competitors who passed our table, only one dad and son stopped for a Rosary. Could it perhaps be that glamour truly does blind the spirit?

A woman in her late 20s passed us by, declining our offer of a free Rosary in her search for the parking garage. But then she returned to the table to choose a Rosary, acknowledging that “we Christians are on the same team” in a lot of ways. She attends a trendy new non-Catholic Christian church and considered talk of denominational differences “a distraction from Christ”. Besides the Rosary, she also accepted the pamphlet on how to pray it, and a copy of the Catholic version of the kerygma/Good News. Pray that she perseveres in her devotion to Jesus Christ and that she meets her spiritual mother in the Rosary.

“Louis”, a thin man in his 30s and wearing yellow-tinted glasses, stopped to tell us he couldn’t wait for the Second Coming. He identifies as a non-Catholic liturgical Christian, but also attends Catholic Mass at an area parish. He told us that he has done so ever since he heard a documentary on the Catholic Church when he lived in a neighboring state. When asked if he were Catholic, he replied, “That stuff isn’t important. Only Jesus is important.” He worried about his sinfulness, but was deaf to the evangelist’s words about the benefits of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. But he accepted a Rosary, its pamphlet, and the encouragement to use the meditations to grow closer to Jesus. Then, when he heard that the evangelists and other Catholics [including you, gentle reader] would be praying for him, he asked that we pray he finds a resolution to his financial problems, too. Please lift up Louis in prayer.

We noted that both Louis and the woman who came back to the table both discounted “denominational differences” as unimportant. However, nothing can help a Christian more than the actual graces received in the Sacraments that Jesus Himself instituted.

Two groups of non-Christians stopped to receive a Rosary from e. James. To the second group, he gave a copy of the “Good News/kerygma” pamphlet.

“Justin” tossed out his quip about our “imaginary friends”, to which we replied, “Invisible does not mean imaginary.” So, he shot back, “You’re part of a cult”, and went on his way. May the Holy Spirit find a way to cultivate the hard-packed soil of his heart, so he can see the invisible, living God who made him.

Four teenagers, 3 girls and a guy, approached. One of the girls replied, “I want one”, to our offer of a free Rosary. She and one other girl took a Rosary and its pamphlet.

A young adult couple, all smiles, accepted a Rosary apiece, its pamphlet, and the encouragement to pray it.

A woman in her mid-30s smiled as she declined our offer, telling e. James, “That’s ok. I have my mood ring”. (The evangelist recalled St. Peter’s admonition to use “gentleness and reverence” [cf. 1 Peter 3:16] and so held back from asking her to check the ring and see if she was in the mood for a Rosary. May God draw her away from pseudo-spirituality and to Himself and life.

A homeless military veteran in his 50s, wearing a leg brace and pushing a laden cartful of belonging, said, “And, yes, I believe in Jesus”. He passed by without stopping for a Rosary.

Two boys in their late teens said they were “not Christian but believe in God”. E. James briefly encouraged them to use the Rosary to get to know Jesus, telling them it was “the Gospel on a string”. He also offered them the Rosary pamphlet and a copy of the “Good News/kerygma” pamphlet. They smiled and one of them responded that he “likes reading about it”.

A man, “Aaron”, accompanied by his wife and child, acknowledged our Christianity and our shared love of Christ. They each happily accepted a Rosary and its pamphlet.

Altogether, we gave away 15-20 Rosaries and the pamphlet on how to pray it, as well as several copies of the “Good News”/kerygma pamphlet.

Please pray for us again today? Ask God to send people to us with their 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.

Yes, being Catholic is a spiritual advantage. 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).