Last year, part of one of my homilies was about the Church's teaching against the death penalty in advanced countries such as ours. Being counter-cultural resulted in some fear on my part because how we treat a murderer is a hot-button issue for many people.

One man I talked to after Mass was upset. He left saying that he would at least consider what I had said. Sometime later he moved out of town and I did not see him for a long time. Recently he returned for a visit and was very excited to tell me how far he had come in understanding the Church's view on the death penalty.

This story does not exist in isolation. My wife, Karen, was changed to being against the death penalty by a homily given by Fr. Ed Menasco ten years ago. Just think about the fear he must have had talking about the death penalty back then. Karen then changed my view. And the man I talked to is changing others.

Never fear telling the Good News about Jesus to others. The impact of what you say is not always apparent.

In today's gospel reading, Jesus tells us to "Fear no one." Concerning the Good News we have heard, he tells us to "speak in the light" and to "proclaim [it] on the housetops," the highest places in town back then.

We will always run into people who will ignore the Good News that we try to tell them. We must realize that we are planting seeds and that they will sprout within God's time and not necessarily our time. Think of the man I spoke to about the death penalty. His change of heart was not immediate, but is taking place over time.

To conquer our fear of proclaiming the Good News, we can offset some of our fear with knowledge. On Pentecost Sunday, Fr. Taylor preached that too many people's knowledge of their faith stops when they are confirmed. He told of the class of 34 teens who were confirmed, with only 4 returning to RE the next year. Confirmation isn't a graduation ceremony.

Something similar happened to me. I finished high school, went to three colleges and earned three degrees in chemistry. While working in laboratories around the country, I took short courses and attended scientific conferences all over the world to increase my knowledge about my profession. When I was 56 years old I was still using what I had learned about my faith while in high school. What a poor balance between knowledge of job and faith!

Since then, my knowledge of our faith has increased immensely. I completed another degree, but this time it was oriented toward faith rather than chemistry. I continuously read books. And here is a paradox: the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

This story about me is a parable. I am trying to draw you in to seeing yourself in the story.

What do you do to decrease fear so you can share your faith with more confidence? Continue to grow in your faith by participating in classes offered by our parish and others nearby, as well as by the archdiocese. Teens, continue on with RE! Scouts, get your Ad Altare Dei pin. Read books and listen to tapes. Adults you can do some of the same. Internet sites contain an enormous amount of Catholic information. To hear a consistent presentation of the Catholic faith with your adult ears, attend RCIA classes. I do sometimes and I still get excited.

In October, RENEW 2000 will begin in our parish and across the archdiocese. You will be asked to sign up to be in a small group of other parishioners where you can pray and share your faith with people having the same principles that you do. You will soon lose your fear to share your faith and will be able to more effectively bring the Good News to others that you know and to strangers you will meet.