You Can Make a Difference

“Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, they were amazed.” (Acts 4:13)

When it comes to evangelization, where do we even start? As the apostles knew, the foundation of evangelization is a personal encounter with Jesus. As Pope Benedict XVI has observed, they weren’t just “heralds of an idea, but witnesses of a person.”

In today’s first reading, we find Peter and John fulfilling Jesus’ command to go “into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). While they hadn’t yet reached “the whole world,” they started their mission where they were, with the people around them, making Jesus known to all who would listen.

It’s interesting that at this point in his life, Peter was more of a spitfire fisherman than a deep theologian or trained public speaker. Still, his address to the people was filled with Scripture references and clear, godly reasoning. It’s obvious that Peter didn’t just go out there and wing it. Clearly, he had been studying the Scriptures and building up a database of knowledge about Jesus and God’s plan of salvation.

At the same time, Peter was prayerful and passionate. He wanted to do more than just give a scriptural exposition on healing. He wanted to see people embrace the gospel, and so he relied on the Holy Spirit to pierce the hearts of his hearers.

Peter’s balance between good arguments and trust in the Spirit can be a model for our approach to evangelization. We have the same tools available to us that Peter had—and even more. Not only do we have our Bibles with footnotes and commentaries, we have the Catechism and the witness of countless saints. And of course, we have the same Holy Spirit guiding and empowering us. Like Peter, the closer we stay to Jesus in prayer, the more effective our logic will be when we share his gospel.

So don’t be afraid to tell other people the reason for your hope (1 Peter 3:15). Read, study, learn the gospel so that you can build a solid argument. And pray, pray, pray. You really can make a difference in the people around you!

“Holy Spirit, I ask you to both teach and empower me to be an effective witness to the gospel. Give me the boldness of your first apostles!”

--that in all things may be glorified--