Physician Heal Thyself: How Prayer Creates a True Catholic Evangelist
The phrase “Physician heal thyself” (Luke 4:23) references the often forgotten truth that one must solve their own problems before attempting to fix the problems of others.
Becoming a true Catholic evangelist requires more than just knowledge of the Faith, a certain style, or even success. Your life must reflect the fact that Jesus Christ is active, makes a difference, and has healed your heart. As an evangelist, you are held to a higher standard and your personal life needs to be a fitting witness to your evangelization.
How can you do this?
The answer is simple: prayer. Prayer creates a true Catholic evangelist because the Holy Spirit is the cause of conversion. Today Michael and David share ways you can incorporate prayer into your daily life and how that prayer will make you a true Catholic evangelist.
Snippet from the Show:
“You are obligated not just to create a veneer of Christianity, but to let Christ heal you from the inside out.”
SHOWNOTES
5 Practical Takeaways
- Confession doesn’t remove the need to repent. Read the section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on interior penance (1430-1433).
- It is important to have self-knowledge.now what we are, who we are, and how we are doing well or not doing well. Add into your day the daily Examen or a daily examination of conscience. You are not going to find many saints that did not make this a daily part of their life. Sit down, ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten you, and reflect on how you have responded to God’s grace during the day. Reflect on the things you have done to strengthen your relationship with God and also where you have fallen short. It only takes five minutes.
- Read Psalm 51 prayerfully.
- What is the one thing in your life keeping you from God? What is your besetting sin? It is so easy to let sin be a part of your life. We need to be serious about the sin in our life and we have to take an intentional look at how we can stop those sins and put God first. Make a plan to try and stop that one thing that is keeping you from the Lord.
- Go to confession. In your Examen, say “Why do I commit those sins?”
Meet Your Hosts
Michael “Gomer” Gormley
Michael has been leading evangelization and ministry efforts for the past ten years, both as a full-time parish staff member and as a speaker and consultant for parishes, dioceses, and Catholic campus ministries.
He is also the founder and creative director of LayEvangelist.com, and the producer and cohost of a Catholic young adult podcast Catching Foxes, which discusses the collision of Faith and Culture.
He is married to his college sweetheart, Shannon. Together they have about 1,000 children and get about 3 hours of sleep a night, which is alright by him.
David “Dave” VanVickle
Dave VanVickle fell in love with the Lord at the age of fourteen. Since then, he has dedicated his life to bringing others into a radical relationship with Christ.
He is a speaker and retreat leader. His programs focuses on proclaiming the universal call to holiness, authentic Catholic spirituality, spiritual warfare and deliverance. Additionally, Dave has over ten years of experience assisting Priests with their ministries of exorcism and deliverance.
Dave resides in Pittsburgh with his wife Amber and their five children: Sam, Max, Judah, Josie and Louisa.