Make
Evangelization
by Vaughn Kohler
a Habit
Do you have to wear a black hood to evangelize the world? Certainly not. Although the Rule of St. Benedict is meant to guide the daily life of a community of monks, the principles can be applied vibrantly and effectively outside the walls of a place like St. Benedict’s Abbey. You may not wear a habit, but you can make evangelization a habit.
5
ways to evangelize like a Benedictine monk:
16
Kansas Monks
1
Host a Dinner Party
Everybody knows that one of the core Benedictine values is hospitality. If you want to create an opportunity to share the love of Christ, host a dinner party. But here’s the catch: Don’t just invite people you know and love. Invite people who are new to your neighborhood or community, or even someone with whom you’ve had tension or a disagreement. At Mass we pray, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof; but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.” Though we are sinners, Jesus Christ is willing to dine with us, and the food that we eat is his own flesh and blood, given for our salvation. We should demonstrate the same kind of charity to others. As we eat, drink, and talk with our guests, we can show them the warmth and compassion of our Lord, “welcoming all guests as Christ himself ” (RB 53:1). Your home can be a place of love, your dinner table a tool for evangelization. Invite people to dine with you; maybe some of them will eventually dine at the Lord’s Table, too.
2
Perfect the Art of Being Considerate
A wise man once told me, “Some people will reject Christianity. But make sure it is not because you act like an inconsiderate jerk.” There are many reasons why someone may not have interest in Christ or the Catholic faith. Hopefully, though, it is not because of our poor social skills. In the Rule, St. Benedict counsels strong reproof for the monk who, in being late to daily prayers, inconveniences the other monks and disrupts the flow of the day (RB 43:4). There are other examples of how one monk’s actions affect the whole community. Even though we do not live in as close a proximity as a monk does to his confreres, our actions affect other people. Seek to be sensitive to the needs and desires of other people. Don’t do anything that will inconvenience them or unnecessarily cause them grief or pain. The simplest way to know if you’ve offended someone? Ask them. If you are a likeable person who is considerate of others, people will be drawn to you—and perhaps to Christ and his Church.
