Plain Jane Evangelization
I love hanging out at airports. I love to watch people, and better yet, I love to actually meet them and chat. Yeah. That’s me. Never met a stranger at an airport.
I think it has something to do with my anonymity. No one knows me, and yet many would swear they’ve seen me before. That’s me—the shadow of the “Plain Jane” that is simply everywhere and the one everyone says they’ve met before—and I love it.
While talking to a newfound friend on the job as a roving educational consultant, I received a text from a long-time coworker. She sent me a selfie to show me who she was with at the airport in DC. She was with Australian rocker, Rick Springfield. He wished that he had “Jesse’s Girl” and warned, “Don’t Talk to Strangers”.
But alas, my very shy and reserved friend threw caution to the wind!
I had a good chuckle just thinking about It as I shared the photo with the millennial I was chatting up.
That’s when the very young lady I was with mentioned that she met Steve Miller of the 70’s Steve Miller Band at an airport. I was blown away when she started to sing some of his songs!
Rock legends, Rick Springfield and Steve Miller.
Out came chorus lines from “Jet Airliner”, “The Joker”, “Fly Like an Eagle”, “Take the Money and Run”, and “Abracadabra”. She said that at first, she was really embarrassed before she was left simply enchanted.
I couldn’t help but think of the disciples who were on the road to Emmaus as I listened to her story.
My new acquaintance was no more than ten years old when she and her younger siblings were in baggage claim, waiting for her mom to retrieve their luggage. Bored with little to do, the kids broke out in song singing the hits from their mom’s favorite musician. Unbeknownst to the children, the rock star spied them while waiting to retrieve his luggage!
The children hadn’t a clue who he was when he walked up to comment about their command of his songs. She was sure that they messed up some of the lyrics, but they sang the songs with confidence and fervor. With a huge smile, he started to sing along and help them with the words.
Eventually, Steve said something to the affect, “Gosh! You all are so young! How do you know these songs?”
“Our mom listens to these songs. How do you know them?” my newfound friend asked.
“These are my songs! I am Steve Miller. Glad to meet you!” he came back with joyful laughter. “You sing my songs better than I do!”
“I was instantly star-struck,” she explained. “I couldn’t say anything. All I can remember is watching him wave and then turn away to walk out the door. I don’t remember so much his face as I remember his back. He was just an old man who I really didn’t take a good look at, but I remember his back.”
I wonder if the disciples on the road to Emmaus ever really took a good look at Jesus.
When chatting and walking together, most people usually walk side by side and let the conversation keep them connected.
While we ladies prefer a lot of eye contact, research shows that most men prefer not to look at each other too much. Side by side actually suits them fine whether walking or sitting.
Like Steve Miller’s approach with the children, Jesus first listened to the disciples, before jumping in and helping out with the “Words”.
Then finally, there was a special revelation, and the followers were at first star-struck, before they turned to seek and have his back.
The disciples were walking in the wrong direction and didn’t quite have a firm command of the “lyrics”, but Jesus came and listened, entrained with the melody, and sang along before taking the lead with the actual “Words”.
Only then did Jesus make himself known.
After all, would the children have spent time singing with Steve Miller if they knew who he was from the start? How about the disciples? Would any of these followers been in a position to learn the “Words”?
Jesus modeled the best approach to walk with others. He joins in, chats, and sings along, before asserting the “teaching” in word and deed. He counts on word and deed to actually do all of the “talking”.
After all, it was in the breaking of the bread that the disciples came to recognize Him for themselves.
Jesus wants to be a friend. He wants to know you. He wants to sing along with you with great joy.
As followers of Jesus who wish to reflect his light and love to others, it’s important to remember that it is He who we want others to see. So, we have to consider doing things his way and let his light glow. We have to become less, so he can become more.
We don’t have to be rock stars to be great evangelists! We just need to know the “Words to His Song”.
When we walk with others, it’s not so much who we are or who we’ve been in the past that matters much when it comes to evangelization. It’s more about how we conduct ourselves in the present moment with all of the gifts the Lord has blessed us with.
In order to best assess which gifts we should pull out to share with others, we must first listen to the melody they sing, play along, and then begin to improvise to steer the melody in proper accordance with the “Words” of God.
A few Sundays ago, I was sitting at Mass praying with everyone in attendance when a light shown through the stain glass behind me. A yellow light was reflected on the floor, and all that could be seen of me was my shadow.
In fact, you couldn’t tell if I was facing the light or facing the altar. The light just radiated around me. I was so moved by the image that I pulled out my phone, and yes, during Mass, I took some pictures of it.
I thought to myself, most of us can’t really see the brilliance of the light or appreciate it because it strains the eyes to look at it directly. But the shadow provides a contrast that makes the light bearable and unmistakable!
In fact, it is in the shadow that most people feel the most protected, the most in common with others, and have the best initial view of all the possibilities Christ offers for their lives.
I mean, isn’t it under Our Lady’s mantel that we can find safety and refuge from the storms outside? Perhaps that is why the Blessed Mother appears clothed with the sun at Guadalupe and in Revelation:
“A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” (Rev 12:1)
It’s easier to gaze upon the moon, of which its reflected light comes from a greater source, and yet it doesn’t overpower us. It simply glows and shines ever so very brightly in the darkness of our lives. We seem to connect best with others who have experienced our sorrows, our shame, and our guilt.
In fact, when we step into the light, we become safe havens for these individuals who want to get closer to the light.
In our vulnerability we serve as wounded healers to others. And it’s in those wounds that others most easily find Christ.
“And with his wounds we were healed.” (Is 53:5)
Any one of us can make a difference in the lives of any one person out there, who might even go out and evangelize the many.
In John Chapter 4, Jesus went out of his way to seek the woman at the well. Look at how that turned out. She went back to her village and convinced the rest of her neighbors to come out to meet Jesus!
That single soul impacted by Christ was then empowered or rather, anointed in such a way, that secular history points out that she evangelized a great many more people long after Christ left Samaria and died on the cross.
Perhaps that’s why Jesus taught about the good shepherd who left the 99 sheep to go after the one that was lost. Any lost sheep that was found, like the woman at the well, could be perhaps Jesus’ greatest apostle!
Embrace all of who you are. Christ wants all of you, warts and all, because even warts might be of interest to someone, especially if they’ve kissed too many frogs in search of the Prince of Peace.
Even St. Paul had the humility to embrace his imperfections knowing that in those areas of weakness, the Lord could truly show his strength!
Hmm… The shadow of the Plain Jane… Suits me fine. (Wink)
About Cindy Kolak:
Cynthia Cardenas-Kolak is a lifelong learner, teacher, independent scholar, and author who has trained other trainers, teachers, and administrators on best instructional practices for diverse learners. She has been a member of Prince of Peace Catholic Community for seven years and resides in northwest Houston with her husband and son. As an active participant in her parish, she has served in multiple roles including pastoral care volunteer, funeral coordinator, small group facilitator of book studies with Catholic WE and the parish at large, LOVING STONES, and has a strong calling to the New Evangelization.
Favorite Scriptures: “Give thanks to the Lord on the harp; on the ten-stringed lyre offer praise. Sing to him a new song; skillfully play with joyous chant.” (Ps 33:3)
“Call to me, and I will answer you; I will tell you things beyond the reach of your knowledge.” (Jer 33:3)
