Ok, before I begin here, I first want to say that I give the new translation of the Roman Missal two enthusiastic thumbs up! I was at a Mass in the Extraordinary form this weekend, so I didn't get to hear it until Monday morning when I watched the Mass on EWTN. Having said that, just the simple use of language returns a sense of the sacred to the Mass, and the Ordinary form's connection to the Extraordinary form, and to Eastern Liturgies, seems to be much clearer now.
So, I have two younger brothers, one is a NYC lawyer, and the other is a US Marine who was recently honorably discharged, however you know the saying "once a Marine, always a Marine". Occasionally, the Marine will like to discuss matters of faith. Being a Marine and having a very pro-active attitude towards life, he feels that it is our responsibility to take a much more active role in evangelization, which is definitely in agreement with our Holy Father. Over the course of my short 28 years on this Earth, I've learned a few lessons regarding attempted evangelization; the ups, the downs, what works and what doesn't work. Therefore, the following is simply my thoughts on it rather than any official teaching.
1. Be zealous for your faith. In the world, Catholicism in particular, and Christianity in general makes no sense. It is easy to be convinced that it is false. Specifically, we live in a weird time where it is more easy to believe in the existence of the devil, demons, and angels, than it is to believe in the existence of God. But, if you've seen the movie, The Rite, then there is a line that specifically addresses this fact, that these things require the existence of God.
2. Study your faith. Oftentimes, people leave the Church due to poor education about the faith. The past 40 years has resulted in such a confusion over what we actually believe that people turn to media such as CNN, the New York Times, NPR, etc. to tell them what we believe. Contrary to popular belief, the Catholic Church is a religion of scholars, scientists, and philosophers. Just think of Francis Bacon, Blaize Paschal, Gregor Mendell, and others.
3. "Live in the world, but do not be part of the world". That is something my Dad taught me when I went off to college. The Old Testament mentions that there is a time and season for everything under Heaven. The world is meant for our enjoyment; it is not our salvation. All things can be done in moderation. Do not let the glamor of the world become what you worship, and always keep in mind The Last Things, that our life on Earth is finite.
4. "Teach others by the way you live". Another quote from my Dad, this is a paraphrase of St. Paul where he states that they will know we are Christians by the way we love each other. To evangelize, we must always practice charity. People are not stupid. Opposing points of view can and are formed from personal thought and reflection. Now, there is only one Truth, but it's not all too often that you can win over crowds by insulting their intelligence. Remember always that much is demanded of those to whom much has been given.
5. Now this last point that I actually have found effective is a tricky one that I don't recommend for everyone. Simply put, if you are going to evangelize, then it is important to understand the opposing point of view. Why? The other point of view can oftentimes be very well thought out by the other side. This one is dangerous, because it requires that you not be swayed yourself, which is why I so heavily discussed the need for study.
Again, these are my personal thoughts. This has been my approach for years now, but it is itself a work in progress. If this is truly an information age, then it is of the upmost importance that we inform ourselves on what we believe and why in order to best inform others.
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