Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

Medical Evangelization without Words

1) Take good care of the patient–with compassion and competence.
2) Pray for your patients, for their health, for their conversion.
3) Listen–St. Francis taught that when you share the Gospel, the thing to do is to listen. Only listening will prove your worthiness to speak when they are ready to hear.
4) Be holy–lives of holiness are the most powerful witness to the Gospel.
5) See Christ in the patient (Mt 25:27-40).
6) Remember that you bring Christ to the patient–you are His hands in the world.
7) Be joyful.
8) If you have not experienced the Good News of Jesus Christ, you can’t share it with others.
9) Be patient–evangelization often takes time. It is more a process then a onetime event.
10) Look for God to give you an opportunity.
11) When people are suffering they need our love. When people have experienced love—then is the time for evangelism.
12) Use your gifts! What gifts has God given you? Use them to share the Gospel. (Catechism 797-800)
13) Wear a visible Cross, a Divine Mercy pin or other religious symbol. This simple act can be a powerful witness and good conversation starter.

Medical Evangelization with Words

1) Don’t hesitate to mention God, Jesus, the spiritual realm at appropriate moments in conversation with patients. Don’t allow the world to censor your speech!
2) A theological discourse is rarely appropriate, but a few words can be very effective. For example, when a patient has recovered from an illness, one can very naturally say, “Thanks be to God!”
3) Handouts can be great tools for evangelization. CLICK for more.
4) When speaking to patients about health don’t forget to mention spiritual health.
5) When doing a complete health assessment, it is entirely appropriate to ask, “How are you doing spiritually?” For more on spiritual assessment, CLICK here.
6) If a patient is wearing a cross, consider asking, “Tell me about your cross?” This can open up the conversation.
7) Be open to opportunities to share your own faith. For example, if you are talking with a patient who is fearful of an upcoming operation, you might share a story from your own life about how prayer was a great comfort prior to an operation or trial which you faced in the past.
8) Offer to pray for your patient. For example, if a patient has told you that they are worried about their mother who is ill, it is a powerful witness for you to say, “If you don’t mind I will pray for your mother tonight.”