Four ways Mary helps us share our story
Highlights of an Interview with Nancy Ward on “Cause of Our Joy!” Radio Rosary Program, broadcasting Sunday Mornings at 7:00 am, on WACE 730 AM, Chicopee, MA. Hosted by Joe Ott
“Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story is kind of an enmeshment of my life as a convert and a journalist.
“I converted in my young adult years. I first gave my life to Jesus when I was 15 at a Protestant youth retreat but couldn’t tell anyone about that experience because it was so personal.
“That carried me through my father’s sudden death three years later and supported me all the way through my conversion, but I still couldn’t share my faith very well.
“During that time, I was only vaguely aware of Mary’s place in the church or my life before my conversion.”
“As far as the journalism part, after I got my Journalism degree, I worked at our diocesan newspaper, The Texas Catholic. I got lots of good experience there. Then one of the highlights of my short career, outside being a writer working from my home, came as they were opening the Archbishop Sheen Center for Catholic Evangelization. I got to work there and learned so much. I got the evangelization bug. I thought, ‘Maybe I could do this.’ That’s how those two things came together.
“We are anointed at our baptism and called to be evangelists. There are no exceptions to that. We evangelize by our lifestyle. We model our faith in what we say and do and in our body language.”
The vision of the rocking chairs
“I discovered Mary’s place in my life and in the church quite late into my life-long conversion as a Catholic.
“I had an amazing renewal experience that made me more alive in my faith and I began to be more active in the church in Bible Studies, marriage enrichment, as a eucharistic minister and at daily Mass. I began paying attention to what I accepted in my head but never got to my heart, like the importance of Mary. It was a gradual process, with a surprising vision one day. My husband and I . . .were in Tampa, FL. I went to Mass at noon . . . at historic Sacred Heart Church . . . I wrote about it on my blog in The loving glance of Jesus.”
Four Ways
“Mary helps us share our story in four ways:
- “Mary said ‘yes’ to God’s will for her with her magnificent Magnificat.
- “She pondered her story. That’s where journaling comes in. Journaling is one of the major tools of evangelization. Journaling about our God-moments helps us know our story and clarity it and prepare to give our testimony. Like Mary, when we share our story, we see how God intervened and steered us to the path he planned for our greatest happiness. Then our deepest beliefs naturally emerge — like Mary’s Magnificat. We have these beautiful moments clarified in our journal and at the end, like Mary, ‘Our soul magnifies the Lord and our spirit rejoices in God our Savior…’
- “She shared her story, trusting the Holy Spirit to prepare the hearts of her listeners. That’s how she takes action on her ‘yes” to God. By telling those dearest to her what God had done in her, the angel’s visitation became more active, more powerful, more real. The reactions and questioning that followed her initial experience clarified her ‘yes’ to God.
- “Mary is the model of gentleness and reverence. I needed that touch in my life. Because I recognize that she was the first evangelist, she helps me tell my story by her demeanor, her attitude and disposition toward others as I saw in the rocking chair vision in The loving glance of Jesus. Her relationship with God determined her approach to everything and everyone in her life.”
1 Peter 3:15,16
“My banner scripture is 1 Peter 3:15,16
Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence.”
She is the essence of gentleness and reverence. She models for me exactly how I am to relate to everyone who asks me why I am so happy and hopeful. It’s a signal that they are the ones God has prepared to hear my story.”
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