My friend Gretchen brought home to me that Christ is like an orange.
People ask me, "what are you doing to evangelize your parish?. Do you go door-to-door? Do you 'witness' on the street? Do you tell people about Jesus and how they're going to benefit from His love?" My friend Gretchen, the Children's Minister at our church, made the best case for evangelism I've heard in a long time. I learned this...I can tell you how Jesus will affect you like I could tell how an orange tastes when you've never had one!
I cannot describe the texture, taste or acidity. I cannot tell you how wonderful you will feel after weeks of subscribing to the health benefits of that vitamin. My description of the joy of that fruit will not be your same experience. I actually have no claim to the sweetness. YOU have to experience orange and Jesus in YOUR OWN WAY!
If I were to 'tell' people about how they will 'feel' Jesus, then I'm only thinking about myself. My wish is to invite people to feel Jesus for themselves...their own intelligent, feeling and thinking selves. THAT is the witness. That is the way to evangelize! That is the way to tell people they are smart enough to figure it out. Do NOT explain Jesus when Jesus is unexplainable. Do NOT believe that Jesus is the same for everyone. Do NOT believe you have a monopoly on who Jesus is. You're a cherished child of God but you're not the only one :)
Do it now!
