From today’s first reading (Rom 10:9-18):

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed?
And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone to preach?
And how can people preach unless they are sent?
As it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!

Rom 10:13-15

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Lay people also fulfill their prophetic mission by evangelization, “that is, the proclamation of Christ by word and the testimony of life.” For lay people, “this evangelization . . . acquires a specific property and peculiar efficacy because it is accomplished in the ordinary circumstances of the world.” (LG 35 § 1, § 2) “This witness of life, however, is not the sole element in the apostolate; the true apostle is on the lookout for occasions of announcing Christ by word, either to unbelievers . . . or to the faithful.” (AA 6 § 3; cf. AG 15.)

CCC 975

So each of us is called by the Lord to be an apostle (from Greek apostolos, “person sent”). And not simply by the witness of our lives, although it is vitally important that we behave according to what we believe to avoid personal sin and scandal by example, but also by explicitly “announcing Christ by word.” The journey to belief comes in hearing the Gospel shared convincingly by the convinced. Are you convinced you can do this? If not, what is holding you back? Do you not know the faith well enough? Then learn. Are you too timid? Then ask the Holy Spirit for fortitude.

Jesus calls everyone to be holy and to share the Good News. Would that we all have “beautiful feet” that would just sparkle on our Judgment Day due to our tireless evangelization efforts. And is there a better and more obvious time to ease the Messiah into a conversation than during the run-up to Christmas? Don’t miss the opportunity to make a believer out of someone so he can call on the Lord in faith.

Peter preaching (c. 1370) by Lorenzo Venziano. c. 1370

God bless.