In Acts 2, Peter stands up and delivers an amazing homily. I’m not overstating it. Three thousand people were baptized when he was done.

Peter spoke about his faith with the power of the Holy Spirit. And we are called to do the same.

Before you decide to set aside my words, allow me to set aside your excuses. (Lovingly, of course.) ;)

“Peter was so holy!” Well, you are called to be the same.

“The Holy Spirit was stirred up within him!” If you’ve been confirmed, the same is true for you.

“But I don’t know enough about my Faith to talk about it!” I don’t recall Peter getting a Masters in Theology. He fished. For a living. (And this also begs the question: What are you currently doing to deepen your knowledge of the Faith?)

Having worked for Catholic parishes for 25 years as of this May, one of the most frustrating things I’ve experienced is parishioner after parishioner complaining that “the Church” isn’t doing enough to reach out and proclaim the Good News to the wider community. As if that person isn’t just as much “the Church” as someone who happens to be part of the staff!

Every parish can and should continue to do more. This is absolutely true. But it cannot be used to absolve one’s self from doing what is every Catholic Christan’s duty.

I’m not telling you that you should stand on the table of your preferred coffee establishment, talk about Jesus, and expect three thousand people to be baptized. But I do think that if more of us sat at a table of our preferred coffee establishment and talked about our Faith with a friend, we might be able to set a different goal. With that in mind...

May I humbly propose that every person reading this sets a goal to at least play a role in three adults deciding to get baptized? And as my high school swim coach used to say: “I’m not interested in your excuses.” For you, it costs nothing but comfort and effort. For those you reach, as they say, the rewards are out-of-this-world.

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