A Sunday Thought About Knowing and Living Our Faith

We ended last Sunday's post with an exhortation to study our Catholic Faith and to apply what we learn in our daily lives. We can only attain eternal salvation if our thoughts, words, and deeds reflect the True, the Good, and the Beautiful. But we also remember that by living well, we give good example to others. In that way, we lead them to Christ. That's the basis for our spreading the Good News. We lead by example.

But we can do more than simply live good lives. We may be called to more actively help others understand what Jesus taught during his 33 years living amongst us, and continues to teach through His Holy Catholic Church. The term typically used for this active "outreach" to others would be "evangelizing."

Of course, if you're like me, you somewhat cringe at the idea of being an "evangelist." Whether it's that image of the public "preacher" in a NYC subway station, the idea of debating a Protestant about the reality of apostolic succession, or trying to change the mind of a Jehovah's Witness who just rang your door bell, you just know evangelism wasn't designed with you in mind. What's wrong with just giving good example to others?

So when I came across this on Father Zuhlsdorf's Blog where the Rev himself recently addressed this issue as part of a detailed and most interesting analysis of the Collect for the Third Sunday after Easter in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite - well, I thought it might help us reluctant evangelists become more familiar with what's expected of us and maybe even help us get more comfortable with the idea of spreading the Good News to every nook and cranny of this valley of tears we call "the world," which is what charity - in this case love of neighbor - calls us to do.

In what we say and do other people ought to be able to see Christ’s light reflected and focused in the details of our individual vocations. To be good lenses and reflectors of Christ’s light, we must be clean. When we know ourselves not to be so, we are obliged as soon as possible to seek cleansing so that we can be saved and be of benefit for the salvation of others. We must also practice spiritual works of mercy, bringing the light of truth to the ignorant or those who persist in darkness either through their own fault or no fault of their own.

(In case you've forgotten or can't recall - as I just couldn't - here are the Spiritual Works of Mercy:

• To instruct the ignorant;
• To counsel the doubtful;
• To admonish sinners;
• To bear wrongs patiently;
• To forgive offenses willingly;
• To comfort the afflicted;
• To pray for the living and the dead.

For some further explanation and discussion of these, you can click HERE and HERE.)

Every Catholic is called to evangelize, if not in an “official” capacity in the Church’s name, at least through the obligation we have as members of Christ’s Body the Church...There are still people living in darkness. We must “preach” always and, as the phrase often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi says, sometimes use words.

When people look at us and listen to us, do they see a light-extinguishing black hole where a beautiful image of God should be?

I don't know about you, but I think I can manage this.

Happy Sunday!