RESTORE

This chapter from the BFG Handbook (Christian Edition of the Tao Te Ching) presents the gospel through a new "Expression" of God’s Love to RESTORE the Truth.

Chapter 5 from the BFG Handbook (Christian Edition of the Tao Te Ching) presents the gospel through a new “Expression” of God’s Love to RESTORE people to the Truth.

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Chapter 5: The Impartial Way

 

Heaven and Earth do not take sides 1
They allow both the righteous and unrighteous to exist
The Son of Man does not take sides 2
He loves both His neighbors and His enemies 

The space between Heaven and Earth is an endless source
Empty, yet infinitely capable of all things 3
With the measure you use 4
It will be measured to you and even more

Too many words lead to confusion 5
It is better to keep silent

 

Scripture behind each line
2
“The Son of Man does not take sides”
Matthew 5:43-45Matthew 20:28
3
“Empty, yet infinitely capable of all things”
Matthew 19:26
4
“With the measure you use”
Mark 4:24-25
5
“Too many words lead to confusion”
Proverbs 10:19Job 35:16Proverbs 17:27-28James 1:26-27.

Sun and Rain for Everyone

Explains these lines

“Heaven and Earth do not take sides

They allow both the righteous and unrighteous to exist”

Chapter 5 of the Christian edition of the Tao Te Ching, titled The Impartial Way, reflects on the impartial nature of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ. It begins with the observation that Heaven and Earth do not take sides, allowing both the righteous and unrighteous to exist. This echoes the Christian understanding of God’s common grace, where He does not show partiality but allows His blessings to rain down on both the just and the unjust, as seen in Matthew 5:45, where Jesus teaches that God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. God’s impartiality is a reflection of His love for all people, regardless of their actions, and this serves as a model for believers to extend love to all, just as Jesus did.

Look up and you can see it. The sky does not choose favorites. Sunlight warms every field, and rain falls on every roof, whether the people inside are good or not. Letting “both the righteous and unrighteous” live side by side is not God being careless about evil. It is God being patient. In the parable of the weeds, the owner lets wheat and weeds grow together until the harvest, so that no good grain is lost.

“The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9NRSVue

God gives everyone time, and every day is another invitation to turn to Him. The footnote for this line goes to the heart of it: Christ died not only for good people, but for all of us, the righteous One for the unrighteous.

“For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God…”
1 Peter 3:18NRSVue

So the line is not saying that right and wrong do not matter. Judgment belongs to God, and He judges justly. Our part is to receive His mercy and pass it on, without deciding who is too far gone to be loved.

The Church Teaches

“The Church, following the apostles, teaches that Christ died for all men without exception: ‘There is not, never has been, and never will be a single human being for whom Christ did not suffer.’”Catechism 605

“Jesus invites sinners to the table of the kingdom: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” He invites them to that conversion without which one cannot enter the kingdom, but shows them in word and deed his Father’s boundless mercy for them…”Catechism 545

For Our Lives Today

A coworker cuts corners, takes long lunches and still gets the bonus. A neighbor who is rude to everyone wins a trip. You did everything right and got nothing. It is easy to think, “Why does God let them get away with it?” Chapter 5 offers a different lens: “Heaven and Earth do not take sides.” The same sun rose on you and on them. God is not ignoring what is wrong; He is giving everyone time, including you on your bad days. His patience with them is the same patience that waits for us.

Try this today: Name one person whose success bothers you, and thank God for one blessing He has given them.


Loving Neighbor and Enemy

Explains these lines

“The Son of Man does not take sides

He loves both His neighbors and His enemies”

The chapter also highlights the impartiality of the Son of Man, who does not take sides but loves both His neighbors and His enemies. In Matthew 5:43-45, Jesus commands His followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them, demonstrating the radical love that transcends human limitations. Jesus’ life on Earth exemplified this love, as He interacted with both the righteous and the unrighteous, offering grace, forgiveness, and salvation to all who would receive it.

Jesus would not let anyone pull Him onto a team. He ate with Pharisees and with tax collectors, touched lepers, and welcomed a Samaritan woman and a Roman soldier. The chapter’s footnote shows why: He did not come to be served by one side, but to serve everyone.

“just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:28NRSVue

“He loves both His neighbors and His enemies” is the hardest line in the chapter, and Jesus lived it all the way to the Cross. He did not only tell us to love our enemies; He prayed for the men who crucified Him. His love was not a reward for good behavior. It was a gift given first.

“[[Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”]]…”
Luke 23:34NRSVue

Loving an enemy does not mean pretending the wrong never happened or staying in harm’s way. It means refusing to hate the person, praying for their good, and leaving the door open for God to work. Only Christ can grow this love in us, and He does it one prayer at a time.

The Church Teaches

“Christ died out of love for us, while we were still “enemies.” The Lord asks us to love as he does, even our enemies, to make ourselves the neighbor of those farthest away…”Catechism 1825

“It consists in the very fact that, in God and with God, I love even the person whom I do not like or even know.”Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est 18

“Christian prayer extends to the forgiveness of enemies, transfiguring the disciple by configuring him to his Master… Forgiveness also bears witness that, in our world, love is stronger than sin.”Catechism 2844

Pope Benedict is speaking of love of neighbor: it is possible because God loves that person first, and we learn to love them with Him.

For Our Lives Today

Maybe your enemy is not a villain. Maybe it is the ex who still makes you angry, the sibling you stopped talking to, the boss who embarrassed you in a meeting, or the stranger who left a cruel comment under your post. You replay what they did. You rehearse what you would say. Chapter 5 says “He loves both His neighbors and His enemies.” Jesus is not asking you to feel warm right away. He is asking you to pray for them, and to let Him carry the rest.

Try this today: Pray an Our Father today for someone who has hurt you, and slow down on the words “as we forgive those who trespass against us.”


Empty, Yet Full of Possibility

Explains these lines

“The space between Heaven and Earth is an endless source

Empty, yet infinitely capable of all things”

Furthermore, the chapter speaks of the space between Heaven and Earth as an endless, empty source, infinitely capable of all things. This imagery can be understood in a Christian context as a reference to God’s infinite capacity to create, sustain, and provide for all of His creation. In Matthew 19:26, Jesus says, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” The “empty” space is a metaphor for the vastness of God’s power and presence, which, though invisible, is ever-present and infinitely capable of bringing about God’s will.

Think of the open space between sky and ground. It looks empty, yet everything lives in it: air to breathe, light to see by, room to grow. God made all things from nothing, and He keeps giving without ever running out. What He does in us is always more than we could plan.

“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine”
Ephesians 3:20NRSVue

Emptiness is not always a bad thing. A cup has to be empty before it can be filled. Mary called herself the Lord’s servant, and through her humble yes God did the impossible. When we come to God with nothing in our hands, we finally have room to receive what He wants to give.

This is good news on the days we feel drained. Our strength runs out; God’s does not. St. Paul learned that his weakness was not the end of the story but the very place where Christ’s power showed most clearly.

“but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”…”
2 Corinthians 12:9NRSVue
The Church Teaches

“Since God could create everything out of nothing, he can also, through the Holy Spirit, give spiritual life to sinners by creating a pure heart in them…”Catechism 298

“Only faith can embrace the mysterious ways of God’s almighty power. This faith glories in its weaknesses in order to draw to itself Christ’s power.”Catechism 273

For Our Lives Today

The bank account is lower than the bills. The baby kept you up all night. You gave everything at work, and there is nothing left for the people at home. Empty is a real feeling, and you are not weak for having it. Chapter 5 says the space between Heaven and Earth is “empty, yet infinitely capable of all things.” Your empty is not the end. It is room for God. Before you push harder on your own, bring the empty place to Him and ask Him to fill it.

Try this today: Name the place where you feel most empty right now, and give it to God in one honest sentence of prayer.


The Measure You Give

Explains these lines

“With the measure you use

It will be measured to you and even more”

The principle of “with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Mark 4:24-25) reflects the biblical teaching on the importance of generosity and the consequences of one’s actions. Jesus teaches that those who are generous and kind to others will receive blessings in return, not necessarily in material wealth, but in spiritual and relational abundance. This is a call to live with a heart of love and kindness, as God has shown to us, so that we might reflect His character in all our dealings with others.

These words are almost exactly Jesus’ own. In His day, grain was sold by the measure. A stingy seller left it loose; a generous one pressed it down and let it spill over. Jesus says God is the most generous giver of all.

“give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap…”
Luke 6:38ESV

In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus says it right after telling us to listen carefully. So the measure is not only money. It is how much attention we give, how much mercy we show and how quickly we forgive. Jesus uses the same words when He warns us not to judge.

“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For the judgment you give will be the judgment you get, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.”
Matthew 7:1-2NRSVue

This is not a deal where we buy blessings. God’s gifts are always free. But a closed hand cannot receive, and a heart that refuses to forgive cannot take in forgiveness. When we give generously, our own hearts open wider to God’s “even more.”

The Church Teaches

“…this outpouring of mercy cannot penetrate our hearts as long as we have not forgiven those who have trespassed against us.”Catechism 2840

“The fruits of charity are joy, peace, and mercy; charity demands beneficence and fraternal correction; it is benevolence; it fosters reciprocity and remains disinterested and generous…”Catechism 1829

For Our Lives Today

You keep a quiet tally: I drove last time, I paid for coffee twice, I texted first again. It feels fair, but slowly it turns every friendship into a ledger. Chapter 5 offers a better math: “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you and even more.” Give the extra ride. Let the small debt go. Assume the best about the text that sounded rude. God is never outdone in generosity, and you will notice your own heart getting lighter as you give.

Try this today: Do one generous thing today for someone who cannot pay you back, and do not mention it to anyone.


When Silence Says More

Explains these lines

“Too many words lead to confusion

It is better to keep silent”

Finally, the chapter cautions that “too many words lead to confusion” and encourages silence. In James 1:19-20, believers are advised to be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” Words have great power, and too many words can lead to misunderstandings and harm. Proverbs 10:19 also teaches that “when words are many, sin is not absent,” emphasizing the importance of being thoughtful in our speech. The Christian life calls for measured words that are in alignment with truth and love, speaking in a way that builds others up rather than causing confusion or conflict.

The more we talk, argue and explain, the easier it is to hurt someone, bend the truth or simply add noise. Job’s friends talked for chapter after chapter, and in the end God said they had not spoken rightly. The chapter’s footnotes keep coming back to this point.

“Job opens his mouth in empty talk; he multiplies words without knowledge.”
Job 35:16ESV

“It is better to keep silent” is not about sulking or the silent treatment. It is the quiet of a heart that listens: to God first, and then to others. Jesus said very little before His accusers, and He often slipped away to pray alone. God spoke to Elijah not in the wind or the fire, but in a gentle whisper.

“…and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise…”
Proverbs 17:27-28ESV

Silence gives our words weight. When we do speak, we can speak with love and truth instead of just filling the air. And in prayer, silence is where we stop telling God what to do and let Him speak to us.

The Church Teaches

“When word and silence become mutually exclusive, communication breaks down, either because it gives rise to confusion or because, on the contrary, it creates an atmosphere of coldness…”Pope Benedict XVI, Silence and Word: Path of Evangelization

“When the holy name is repeated often by a humbly attentive heart, the prayer is not lost by heaping up empty phrases, but holds fast to the word and ‘brings forth fruit with patience.’”Catechism 2668

Silence is not the enemy of words. Pope Benedict teaches that word and silence belong together; without silence, words lose their meaning.

For Our Lives Today

Think about the last argument in your group chat. Someone posted a strong opinion, then came the replies, then the replies to the replies, and by the end nobody remembered what started it. Or the fight at home that got worse with every sentence. Chapter 5 says “Too many words lead to confusion. It is better to keep silent.” Sometimes the holiest thing you can do is not send the reply, close the app, take a breath and pray before you say anything at all.

Try this today: Spend a few quiet minutes today with your phone in another room, and simply pray, “Speak, Lord, I am listening.”


Living the Chapter

From Chapter 5

The whole chapter, put into practice

In summary, Chapter 5 of the Tao Te Ching calls believers to embody the impartial, generous, and loving nature of God, as exemplified in the life of Jesus Christ. It teaches the importance of extending love to all, the limitless capacity of God’s power, and the need for thoughtful and measured speech. By following these principles, believers can reflect the impartial love and wisdom of God in their daily lives.

In a world that loves to take sides, this is a quiet kind of courage. Each morning’s sunrise can remind us that God has not given up on anyone. Each hard person can become a name we pray for. Each empty day can become room for God, and each conversation a chance to give a generous measure and fewer, kinder words.

The impartial way is not cold or distant. It is the warm, wide love of God, shining on everyone and asking us to shine the same way.

“Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Luke 6:35-36NRSVue
The Church Teaches

“Respect and love ought to be extended also to those who think or act differently than we do in social, political and even religious matters.”Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et Spes 28

“We need to practice the art of listening, which is more than simply hearing. Listening, in communication, is an openness of heart which makes possible that closeness without which genuine spiritual encounter cannot occur.”Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium 171

For Our Lives Today

Your family is split over something in the news. Your office has camps that barely speak. Your friend group has a quiet feud no one names. You do not have to fix it all, and you do not have to pick a team. Chapter 5 shows a quieter, braver way: love the people on every side, listen more than you talk, and give more than you keep. Be the one who sits with the person left out. People notice that kind of love, and it points them to Christ.

Try this today: This week, have one conversation where you mostly listen, ask good questions, and resist the urge to win.

Chapter 5 in one lineGod shines on everyone, Christ loves even His enemies, the Father fills every empty place, and those who give generously and speak little become like Him.



RENEWAL

The Trinitarian M.A.P. is the method for RENEWAL, where God’s Love shapes our MINDSET, Trust in the Son directs our AIM, and Faith in the Holy Spirit guides our PRACTICE.

This chapter offers a new “Method” for the New Evangelization to RENEW our hearts and minds through the Trinitarian M.A.P. Bring this chapter into your day with the BFG Companion App. Pick Chapter 5 and an area of your life, and get Guidance made for you.

1Sun on everyone“Heaven and Earth do not take sides”
2Loving enemies“He loves both His neighbors and His enemies”
3The endless source“Empty, yet infinitely capable of all things”
4A generous measure“With the measure you use”
5Holy silence“It is better to keep silent”
MINDSET
God’s Love shapes how we think

Renewal starts with how we see people. Chapter 5 opens with “Heaven and Earth do not take sides. They allow both the righteous and unrighteous to exist.” Jesus says the same thing about His Father: “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). God does not hand out sunshine by report card. Every sunrise lands on saints and sinners alike. So we begin by letting the Father reset our minds: we did not earn His kindness either, and no one is outside its reach.

That does not mean God shrugs at evil. He is patient because He wants everyone to come home. He is “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). The chapter also calls the space between Heaven and Earth “an endless source.” The Father who sends sun and rain on all is never running low. A mind renewed by Him stops keeping score of who deserves what, and starts trusting that His goodness is wide enough for us and for the people we struggle with.

Try this: When you notice someone you would rather judge today, pray: “Father, You send Your sun on them too. Help me see them the way You do.”

Matthew 5:45NRSVue “…for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.”

2 Peter 3:9NRSVue “The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.”

More Scripture: Acts 10:34-35 · Acts 10:34-35

AIM
Trust in the Son directs where we look

A renewed mind needs a direction, and Chapter 5 points straight to Jesus: “The Son of Man does not take sides. He loves both His neighbors and His enemies.” He did not come to win an argument or join a team. He came “not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). He ate with tax collectors, healed a Roman officer’s servant, and prayed for the men who nailed Him to the Cross. So our aim is not to beat the other side. Our aim is to love like Him.

That is a high aim, and Jesus says it plainly: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Most of us do not face enemies with swords. We have the ex who hurt us, the coworker who takes the credit, the relative who always starts the argument, the stranger who is cruel online. Christ’s love does not wait until they change. It starts with prayer, keeps the door open and wants their good. We aim at Him, and He teaches our hearts to follow.

Try this: Pick one person who is hard for you to love, and pray for them by name today, asking God to bless them.

Matthew 20:28NRSVue “just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Matthew 5:44NRSVue “But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”

More Scripture: Romans 5:8 · Luke 23:34

PRACTICE
Faith in the Holy Spirit guides how we live

Renewal becomes real in daily habits, and the Holy Spirit fills what we give. Chapter 5 says, “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you and even more.” Jesus spoke those words about how we listen and how we give (Mark 4:24). Every day we choose a measure: a little patience or a lot, a stingy answer or a generous one, a quick verdict or the benefit of the doubt. The Spirit loves to pour “even more” into an open hand. So we practice giving the measure we hope to receive.

The chapter ends with a practice most of us skip: “Too many words lead to confusion. It is better to keep silent.” St. James says, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19). Silence is not giving up; it is making room for God. Even when we do not know what to say, “the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (Romans 8:26). So we practice a pause before we reply, a quiet moment before we pray, and words that build up instead of piling on.

Try this: Before you send your next heated text or comment, stop, pray “Holy Spirit, guard my words,” and then decide if it really needs to be said.

Mark 4:24NRSVue “…Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and it will be added to you.”

James 1:19NRSVue “…my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger”

More Scripture: Romans 8:26 · Luke 6:38

In short: think humbly, aim at what is eternal, live by the Spirit. Let the Father who sends sun and rain on all reshape how you see people, aim at the Son who loves neighbors and enemies alike, and let the Spirit teach you a generous measure and a holy silence.




RESPOND

Renewal brings the transformation of our spirit with ardor, empowering us to RESPOND to the call of holiness and make disciples of all nations. This encourages meaningful dialogue to embrace shared truths that transcend cultural and religious boundaries.

Respond · Go and Share
Go and Share: Responding as Missionary Apostles

Renewal does not end with us. When God changes a heart, He sends it out. Chapter 5 shows the kind of heart He sends: one that does not take sides, that loves “both His neighbors and His enemies,” and that knows when to stop talking. In a world that is quick to pick teams and slow to listen, that is good news. You are not sent to win arguments. You are sent to love everyone, the way the sun shines on everyone.

Step 1
The Call
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations… And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”Matthew 28:19-20 (NRSVue)
“…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”Acts 1:8 (NRSVue)
Step 2
New Ardor, New Methods, New Expression

In 1983, Saint John Paul II called the Church to an evangelization that is “new in its ardor, new in its methods, new in its expression.” The Gospel never changes. The way we carry it must be alive for our time. Chapter 5 shows why: a world split into sides and drowning in words needs fresh, few and loving words that point to a God who shines on all.

New in Ardor
The fire

Ardor is the fire of a heart that has been loved by God. People feel it before they hear a single word. Chapter 5 says “The space between Heaven and Earth is an endless source.” The fire in us does not run on our own fuel; it is fed by a God who never runs dry.

New in Expression
The words

Use the words people use today: simple, honest and personal. Share your story, not a lecture. Chapter 5 warns that “too many words lead to confusion,” so share the faith in fewer, warmer words, and let kindness say the rest.

New in Methods
The tools

Meet people where they are: on the phone in their hand. The BFG Handbook and the BFG Companion turn one conversation into a path to Christ and His Church. Chapter 5 says “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Use our tools with a generous measure: share them with anyone, not only the people who already agree with you.

Step 3
New in Ardor: The Fire
Pray first. Each morning ask the Holy Spirit, “Who do You want me to love today?”
Let joy show. A calm, joyful face says more than a perfect argument.
Draw from the endless source. The chapter calls God’s space “empty, yet infinitely capable of all things,” so when you feel empty, pray first and let Him supply the fire.
Love the person, not the debate. Listen twice as long as you speak.
Be brave and gentle. “Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15-16, NRSVue).
“Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers.”Saint Paul VI
Step 4
New in Expression: Words for Our Time

Use the words people use today: simple, honest and personal. Share your story, not a lecture. Chapter 5 warns that “too many words lead to confusion,” so share the faith in fewer, warmer words, and let kindness say the rest.

They say“Why do bad people get away with everything?”
You can say“I wonder that too sometimes. There is a line I keep coming back to: “Heaven and Earth do not take sides. They allow both the righteous and unrighteous to exist.” God is patient because He wants everyone to turn back, even them, even us. Can I share where it comes from?”
They say“I will never forgive him for what he did.”
You can say“That sounds like it hurt deeply, and I am sorry. Forgiving is not saying it was fine. Jesus “loves both His neighbors and His enemies,” and He can help you take the first small step when you are ready. Want me to pray with you?”
They say“Everyone has to pick a side these days.”
You can say“It sure feels that way. But the chapter I am reading says “The Son of Man does not take sides.” Jesus ate with people from every side and loved them all. I would rather follow Him than a team.”
They say“I have nothing left to give.”
You can say“I have been there. There is a line about God’s endless source: “Empty, yet infinitely capable of all things.” When we are empty, He is not. Let Him fill you first. Want to pray about it together?”
They say“Why should I be generous when nobody is generous with me?”
You can say“Fair question. Jesus said, “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you,” and the chapter adds “and even more.” Generosity changes us first, and God is never outdone. Want to try it for a week and see?”
They say“I always say the wrong thing.”
You can say“Me too, more than I would like. The BFG Handbook says “Too many words lead to confusion. It is better to keep silent.” Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing, and just to listen. Want to see what else it says?”
Your story in three parts
1Before

What my life was like before I really met Jesus.

2How

How He met me, and the moment things began to change.

3Now

What is different now, and the hope I carry. Like the chapter’s “He loves both His neighbors and His enemies,” who is someone you once could not stand that God taught you to love?

Step 5
New in Methods: The BFG Tools

Meet people where they are: on the phone in their hand. The BFG Handbook and the BFG Companion turn one conversation into a path to Christ and His Church. Chapter 5 says “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Use our tools with a generous measure: share them with anyone, not only the people who already agree with you.

BFG Handbook

Every chapter has its own song and is written in a language people of every faith can understand. A doorway for dialogue. Chapter 5, The Impartial Way, helps anyone stuck in a grudge, worn out by arguments, or afraid there will not be enough.

Guidance

A friend shares a struggle. Together, pick a chapter and an area of life (start with Chapter 5 when someone is struggling to forgive, feels caught between two sides, or needs to learn when to speak and when to stay quiet). In seconds: a reflection, the M.A.P., a saint, a prayer, Scripture, a song and a church nearby. Send it by email, PDF or a share link.

Ask BFG

Hard question? Ask it together. Answers are grounded in Catholic teaching, the saints and the BFG Handbook. Talk or type. Try asking together: “How can I love someone who keeps hurting me without pretending it is fine?”

Pray My Rosary

Pray the Rosary with a guided voice, the daily mysteries and beads that follow along. Pray it with someone, even over the phone. In the Sorrowful Mysteries we meet Jesus silent before His accusers and praying for those who crucify Him, the Son of Man who “loves both His neighbors and His enemies.”

Church Finder

Catholic churches near anyone, with Mass and Confession times, directions, and one tap to add a time to the calendar. Every conversation can end at a church door. There Christ, who gave His life “as a ransom for many,” welcomes saints and sinners to the same altar, and the quiet after Communion is a good place to “keep silent.”

Reminders & My Journey

Morning, midday and evening prayer reminders, a daily streak and a steady prayer rhythm help a new believer keep going. A moment of quiet at each bell, because “it is better to keep silent.”

Free to start, no card needed. Read aloud in 48 languages.

Step 6
Why BFG Is Made for the New Evangelization
1
It meets people where they are. In their pocket, at any hour, in 48 languages.
2
It is personal. It speaks to their exact question, not a one-size pamphlet.
3
It is faithful. Grounded in Scripture, Catholic teaching and the lives of the saints.
4
It leads to the Church. Every Guidance ends with a real parish, with Mass and Confession times.
5
It opens doors. The Handbook gives people of every faith a common language for dialogue. Chapter 5’s themes, like being treated unfairly, forgiving someone who hurt us and knowing when to be quiet, touch every person’s life.
6
It keeps walking with them. Prayer reminders, the Rosary and My Journey help faith grow day by day.
7
It serves people; it does not replace them. Technology at the service of the human person. You are still the witness.
8
It has guardrails and safeguards. Every answer is checked to stay true to Catholic teaching, and anyone in crisis is pointed to real help right away. Like the Son of Man in Chapter 5, who “does not take sides,” it treats every person with the same respect while staying faithful to the Church’s teaching.

One tool that walks with a person from the first question to the church door.

Step 7
Where Can I Go? Start Close, Then Go Far

Jesus sent His apostles first to Jerusalem, then to Judea and Samaria, then to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Start where you are. Chapter 5 says Heaven and Earth “do not take sides,” so start with the person near you who is easiest to leave out.

1 Home & Family First
  • Pray the Rosary together on Pray My Rosary.
  • Bless your children at bedtime.
  • Share a Guidance with a spouse or child who is struggling.
  • Find Sunday Mass times together with Church Finder.
  • Read Chapter 5 at dinner and ask: “Who was hard to love today, and how can we pray for them?”
2 Friends
  • Text a verse from your Guidance.
  • Ask, “How can I pray for you?” and pray right then.
  • Invite a friend to Mass, then go for coffee.
  • Send the line: “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you and even more.”
3 School & Work
  • Be the calm, kind one.
  • Pray on your lunch break with a reminder.
  • Start a small chapter group that meets once a week. Begin with Chapter 5, The Impartial Way.
  • Respect the rules: invite, never push.
4 Parties & Get-Togethers
  • Listen for the moment: “Things have been hard.”
  • Offer: “Can I send you something that helped me?”
  • Share the Chapter 5 song.
5 Meeting People One-on-One
  • Ask good questions and really listen.
  • Share your three-part story.
  • Open Ask BFG together when a question comes up.
  • When a friend is stuck in a feud, listen first, then share the line “He loves both His neighbors and His enemies.”
6 Your Neighborhood & Parish
  • Visit the sick, the elderly and the lonely; pray the Rosary with them.
  • Serve at a food bank.
  • Welcome newcomers at Mass.
  • Join your parish evangelization team.
7 Local Businesses
  • Ask shops, cafés and offices to display a BFG card with a QR code.
  • Offer a short lunch talk on faith at work.
  • Business owners: offer the Companion to staff as a free gift, never a requirement.
8 Popular Places: Gyms, Parks, Coffee Shops & Game Days
  • Go where people already gather, and be the friendly one who listens.
  • Pray quietly for the people around you.
  • When a talk turns real, share a Guidance or the chapter song.
  • Wear or carry a simple sign of your faith, like a cross or a rosary, that can start a conversation.
  • At a game day, cheer for your team but treat the other fans with kindness; Chapter 5 says “Heaven and Earth do not take sides.”
9 Hold an Event
  • Host a Chapter 5 “The Impartial Way” night, a Handbook chapter night, a Rosary night or an “Ask Anything” faith night.
  • Show the Companion on a big screen and let people try it.
  • We did this at our free conference, The New Evangelization in the Age of AI, at Christ Cathedral.
10 Online
  • Share a Guidance, a chapter song or a Scripture card. Try: “Too many words lead to confusion. It is better to keep silent.”
  • One post can reach someone you will never meet.
11 Other Countries
  • Join a parish or diocese mission trip.
  • The Companion speaks 48 languages, so you leave behind something that keeps speaking after you go home.
  • Every culture knows the sun shines on everyone, a natural bridge to the Father who loves all and the Son who loves even His enemies.
12 Help Groups Doing the Work
  • Your parish ministries, the Legion of Mary, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Charities, prison, hospital and campus ministries, and mission groups.
  • Bring the BFG tools to their work.
Step 8
Your Mission M.A.P.
M
Mindset “I am sent.”God has loved me, so I can love others without fear. God’s kindness reaches everyone, including the people I struggle with.
A
Aim “One person this week.”Write down one name. Jesus always went to the one. Point them to the Son of Man who loves both neighbors and enemies.
P
Practice “Pray, share, invite.”Pray for them by name each day, share one thing that helped you, and invite them one step closer. Listen more than you speak this week, and give one generous measure without keeping score.
Five steps of every conversation
ListenHear their story first.→LoveShow you care, whatever they believe.→ShareTell what God has done for you.→InviteOffer one next step.→Walk withStay with them after the first yes.
Step 9
Your 7-Day Mission Challenge
Step 10
Sent Out

Not everyone will agree with you, and some will oppose you. Chapter 5 shows the way: love “both His neighbors and His enemies,” give with a generous measure, and know when “it is better to keep silent.” Go with mercy. Go with few words and full hearts. Go together. The same Spirit who renewed you now sends you, to shine on everyone like the sun and to trust God with the rest.

“…And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’”Isaiah 6:8 (NRSVue)
“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”Romans 10:15 (NRSVue)
A prayer before you go

Father, who sends Your sun on the good and the evil, Holy Spirit, set my heart on fire. Jesus, send me to the one You love. Father, make me Your witness today. Amen.

NRSVue © 2021 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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