You've Got a Friend in Andrew

St. Andrew the Apostle, whose feast is celebrated by both East and West today, is the original icon of what evangelicals sometimes call "friendship evangelism." Andrew brought his brother Peter to Christ (John 1:41).

The crude Southern version of "friendship evangelism" I grew up with is that you get to know somebody and then... wham... you invite them to your church so that they can "hear the Gospel." The real-life version runs more like this. Others who get to know you will be attracted to Christ through your winsome life and will begin to get closer to God by asking you questions and beginning to discover that this "God-thing" isn't so bad after all.

Not a bad model really- not too heirarchical, and certainly reflective of how many people actually do come to the Faith. I know that I am in the Church today at least partially because of friends who took the time to share with me their values and their love. It made the Gospel come alive for me.

St. John Chrysostom, speaking about Andrew bringing Peter to Christ, declared the positive good of true friendship: "to support one another in the things of the spirit is the true sign of good will between brothers, of loving kinship and sincere affection."

I pondered these words again as I read today about Benedict XVI's visit with Bartholomew I, the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople. The joint declaration they made after meeting together certainly seems full of such good will.

This fraternal encounter which brings us together, Pope Benedict XVI of
Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, is God’s work, and in a certain sense his gift.

We give thanks to the Author of all that is good, who allows us once again, in prayer and in dialogue, to express the joy we feel as
brothers and to renew our commitment to move towards full communion.

This commitment comes from the Lord’s will and from our responsibility as Pastors in the Church of Christ. May our meeting be a sign and an
encouragement for all of us to share the same sentiments and the same attitudes of fraternity,
cooperation and communion in charity and truth.

The Holy Spirit will help us to prepare the great day of the re-establishment of full unity, whenever and however God wills it. Then we
shall truly be able to rejoice and be glad.

Perhaps this model of friendship is what will bring us together, restoring the unity between these two ancient and venerable branches of Christendom.

Lord,
you called Andrew the apostle
to preach the Gospel and guide your Church in
faith.
May he always be our friend in your
presence
to help us with his prayers.

The Rules of Engagement

I ran across this article tonight. I think it has some very helpful tips for discussions amongst Catholics (and other Christians, too).

10 rules for handling disagreement like a Christian, by Bishop Allen H. Vigneron :

http://www.catholicvoiceoakland.org/05-09-19/bishopscolumn.htm

All too often we fail to treat each other with either the seriousness or the charity which our common Faith deserves. We ignore to our eternal peril the one prayer request of our Lord on the night before he died, that we might all be one in truth.

Lord, forgive us for breaking your Body into little kingdoms where our will can be done. Make us one in You once again.

Studying in the Quiet- Part II

Some time ago I wrote about the need for quiet- to say less, to meditate more. http://catholicgeek.blogspot.com/2006/10/studying-in-quiet.html

One friend said he would look forward to seeing what happened. Perhaps he said it tongue in cheek, knowing my gregarious nature would not allow me to remain quiet.... at least not long enough to have any lasting effect.

Here is the progress report.

I have found some very quiet spaces in my life that I never knew existed before.

Last summer a trusted confessor, Father Cyril Gorman of St John's Abbey, gave me the penance of staying after Mass and sitting quietly and pondering. It took a few months but now the practice has set in of staying for just a few moments after Mass is over. Sometimes I relish Christ's continued presence, pray for my day, or just pray over and over that favorite prayer of John Paul II, "Totus tuus".... totally yours. Sometimes I just sit in no particular action at all, just sit. However this started, I've found it makes Mass more meaningful. It "sticks to my ribs" longer as I continue to ponder the readings and the prayers and the people I encounter while I return to my car for the trip to work or home.

A second result of being open to the quiet has been an increasing desire to do less and to stay home more. I am less involved in my parish and other outside activities now, a deliberate choice, and I am finding that less is more. When I do things now I relish it more deeply, as if I am more present than before to what is going on around me. I have to admit that part of this change is probably atmospheric... after all it is Fall-approaching Winter here in Minnesota, a time when people tend to settle in for the long winter's nap. But it's something deeper than that. I can't quite explain it yet. But I am happy that it is happening... an increase in contentment and gratitude for where God has placed me.

The last is the most difficult. I am trying to learn to speak only when spoken to. I am naturally outgoing, gregarious, some would even say aggressive. So this is very hard for me. But listening is a valuable skill that often gets overrun by the need to plan one's one response to what others are saying and doing. God help me to speak less and listen more, to others and above all to Him.