Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and now Pope Francis have called upon all of us to participate in the New Evangelization. Yes the three most recent popes want all of us without exception to participate in some way in bringing the Gospel message of Jesus, the Good News of Salvation, to those who have not heard it and most especially to those who have heard it but rejected it. We all know many people who were baptized Catholic and raised Catholic but now no longer practice their faith. We can be God’s instruments who bring others back to Him and his Church. Yes we can help bring the lost sheep back into the care of the Good Shepherd.
How can we be evangelists in the New Evangelization? Simple, we can participate in The New Evangelization by being an A-Lister. According to Hector Molina, a lay Catholic speaker and apologist, we make a list of people who are in need of evangelizing and we pray for them. We ask divine intervention, because conversion (as the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches) is a work of grace.
“The human heart is heavy and hardened. God must give man a new heart. Conversion is first of all a work of the grace of God who makes our hearts return to him; ‘Restore us to thyself, O Lord, that we may be restored!’ God gives us the strength to begin anew.” – Catechism of the Catholic Church  #1432
The A in the A-List refers to the Apostle Andrew. The Gospel of John introduces Andrew as a disciple of John the Baptist, whose testimony first led him to follow Jesus. After he comes to follow Jesus, Andrew in turn personally introduces his brother Simon to Jesus. He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter) (John 41-42).
How should we go about it? Make a list of the people you know who currently do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ – be they family members, friends, neighbors or co-workers – and commit yourself to praying for them daily.