How Can I Evangelize?

“There are two great attractions in a soul which has given itself seriously to God:  the attraction to solitary, silent prayer where, immersed in God, the soul listens to His voice, penetrates His mysteries, and above all unites itself more intimately with Him: and correspondingly, the attraction to … active, generous sacrifice for the salvation of souls.  To recollect itself in God ‘the soul would like to flee from other people, and greatly envies those who live, or have lived, in deserts.  On the other hand, it would like to plunge right into the heart of the world, to see if by doing this it could help one soul to praise God more.’”  (St. Teresa of Jesus)     -- Divine Intimacy, Meditation 342

I read a lot.  I read for entertainment, education, and spiritual growth, and I give away copies of my best reads to people God has put in my life who, I suspect, don’t have the time or desire to read as much as I do.  Perhaps they will find some pleasure or wisdom in these “best reads” I discovered, --- if they read them.  I know some don’t take the time to do so, but I give them the opportunity.  Some have described my giving away of books as my ministry.  I didn’t think much about what they had said, until now.

In the last couple of weeks, I was blessed to see what happened (or might be happening) as a result of “my ministry.”  Twice God showed me events which were obviously the work of His hands, but they noticeably started with two people reading the same book.

The first happened when a woman and I were reading the same book while in line for confession in the park (which a local parish started last year).  Our common reading led to introductions, conversation, and eventually to my discovery of some wonderful changes that happened in and as a result of that woman’s subsequent actions.  A year later I chanced upon her email address and wrote her, where she lives in another state, and learned of her successful evangelization efforts, some of which were facilitated by that meeting.

A second event was a chance reflection to my Bible Study group on a book I had read last year, and then a remarkable encounter in church twelve hours later with someone reading that exact same book.  I don’t believe in coincidences, and later events at mass struck me as important, so I emailed them to my Bible Study friends.  One responded, humbly, that she considered that email as a reminder sent to her from God, one which would lead to changes in her life.  Concluding her response, she noted strongly:  I DON’T BELIEVE IN COINCIDENCES.

So, I give away books.  Books, as I was recently shown, can lead to spiritual changes in lives.  The title of this posting was a question: “How Can I Evangelize?”  For me, God has shown me examples of how He uses my giving away books to evangelize, to offer His Holy Spirit to touch the lives of at least some of those to whom I offer books.  I didn’t know it, but in doing what I believed was a good thing, I was putting in motion an opportunity for God to touch souls.  That’s called evangelizing.  That’s also called trying to do good for the people we meet, and then trusting in God to do the rest.

So, who have you evangelized lately --- and how?