Comments on: What Keeps You From Spreading the Word?

By: Analise

Analise — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 20:11:23 +0000

thank you for clarifying my doubts… yes I often do shy from professing my faith in public … maybe its the way I have been brought up or maybe I just do not want others around me to feel uncomfortable… I m learning to understand and embrace my faith over a few years… not just follow a routine of sunday church n daily prayers.. about spreading faith… I am striving hard on a daily basis.. thank you to all you wonderful and gifted writers here who help me understand the Gospel and make sense 🙂
god bless you Terry and Steven 🙂

By: Grace

Grace — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 17:05:54 +0000

Thank you Steven for this impacting reflection. It feels as if you were speaking directly to me. We make , truly, flimsy excuses that are convenient for us as reasons for not sowing the seeds. Again, some of us keep procrastinating. The readings today are powerful forces that will help us start being the sowers of God’s seed. May today’s readings grow in us and get us into action.

By: Renata

Renata — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 15:46:00 +0000

Thanks, Steven! I pray that God will fill all of us with His Spirit and give us the little push we need to spread His Word to those around us. Thanks for letting the Spirit work in you and through you. You are definitely spreading seeds, Steven.

By: Ann

Ann — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 14:37:52 +0000

I really enjoyed reading this article. It made me reflect on the courage I have experienced through my relationship with Christ. There was a time when I would never speak up for my faith, or what Christ has done for me in my life. Living my faith and sharing it, has been a life changer for me. I am so thankful for the Spirit working in my life! I will continure, as you do, to bring Christ everywhere I go. Thank you so much and God Bless, Ann

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 07:53:31 +0000

I think speaking of myself that we are afraid to speak God’s word not to be excluded…..because speaking God’s word among those who accept is different when one tries to spread it in this secular word. Im a teacher of religion….and it s very challenging at times….feeling that all the class is against you. But i believe deep down that the Word of God does not return empty handed…..as Christ once said. So we need not give up. Amen

By: Aloysius Ugwu

Aloysius Ugwu — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 06:18:10 +0000

Hello Steven! What a wonderful reflection. I am challenged to be a faithful WITNESS (Acts 1:8). Yes my behaviour can speak volumes, but where necessary I can offer a WORD. But surprisedly, where I aught to speak, I will shy away.

You’ve made it clearer, If I don’t take a step, I will continue to relent with excuses. Yes witnesses speak out they don’t remain mute in the box.

I love this site. Thanks Steven for this teaching and God grant you more wisdom to encourage all of us to be in the path to His Kingdom.

By: Shirley

Shirley — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 04:08:18 +0000

As Catholics we are lead to spread the word where and whenever we can. By action, Word, and prayer. We have to be strong enough to do this work God calls us to do !!!! Keep up the good work Steven. God Bless you.

By: Steven Marsh

Steven Marsh — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 22:14:14 +0000

Analise, I certainly didn’t mean to imply that going door-to-door was the only way to spread the Word! It was an anecdote that stood out in my mind because of how far it is from most Catholics’ experiences.

Rather, my post today was trying to get folks to think about what’s keeping them from, like the sower, spreading the seed far and wide. There are coworkers, associates, family members who have fallen away from the faith (or may not have ever been Catholics), online friends, acquaintances, politicians, and the like. You definitely don’t need to stand on a soapbox and loudly proclaim your faith at all times; in fact, you probably shouldn’t! But I suspect there are many times people hold their tongue because they don’t want to rock the boat or make others uncomfortable.

So, when my family and I go out to eat, we say a prayer before our meals; we don’t make a huge show of it, but we don’t keep quiet because we’re in public. When I ask for time off on Ash Wednesday, I make sure my boss knows that I’ll be at church that day (and I might be a bit off my game because I’m fasting). When I’m with friends during Lent and abstain from dessert, I’ll smile and say something like, “Thank you so much! But it’s Lent, and passing on this delicious-looking dessert is my way of getting closer to God this season.” If people have questions or comments, I do what I can to accept them with an open heart and answer them with love.

Every time I’ve had to talk about the faith – whether giving witnesses, going door to door, guiding group discussions, or writing my blog posts here – I’ve found myself plagued with self-doubt that I’d say the wrong thing, or that I wasn’t good enough. And every time I’ve swallowed that fear and trusted in the Spirit, I’ve surprised myself (and hopefully done my part to spread the message of Christ through word and deed).

I hope this helps!