Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. He who does good is of God; he who does evil has not seen God.
Christianity has produced a large number of originals. There’s nobody quite like St. Francis, or Leonardo, or Therese, or Simeon Stylites. They’re one of a kind. And they got that way by trying to be as unoriginal as possible: just imitating goodness. Meanwhile, radicals who are trying to be “startling” and “push the envelope” are so stunningly boring because they are all alike: little men and women screaming “Look at me!” It’s hard to see God when you are looking only and always at yourself.
Mark P. Shea is a popular Catholic writer and speaker. The author of numerous books, his most recent work is The Work of Mercy (Servant) and The Heart of Catholic Prayer (Our Sunday Visitor). Mark contributes numerous articles to many magazines, including his popular column “Connecting the Dots” for the National Catholic Register. Mark is known nationally for his one minute “Words of Encouragement” on Catholic radio. He also maintains the Catholic and Enjoying It blog and regularly blogs for National Catholic Register. He lives in Washington state with his wife, Janet, and their four sons.
