A good number of modern Catholics often speak about their faith as if they were hostages reading from a prepared statement. Simply repeating Church teaching has never been enough of a witness to Christ to soften hearts or change the trajectories of lives. In fact, it can be argued that presenting a milquetoast version of Catholicism that bends the knee to any aspects of post-modern social philosophy is downright detrimental to the mission of the Church.
While it can be attractive to approach a discussion about faith in a manner that “meets people where they’re at,” it is much more important for the faithful to understand that if the discussion uses the person’s immediate circumstances without the contrast of Catholic clarity as a base or focal point, then the possibility of there being true conversion slides precipitously.
It is not only important, but essential, for anyone who finds themselves in the position of religious mentor, counsellor, or advocate, to understand that, while our compassion may pull us towards wanting to mold our evangelism into the most attractive form, we are doing our brothers and sisters in spiritual crisis a disservice. Effective Catholic evangelization must exist within a framework whose attractiveness stems from its contrast and difference from modern, secular life.
In my classroom over the past fifteen years, I have noticed that not only do students have a hunger for knowledge about the Faith, but also an intense desire for a living relationship with Christ. Unfortunately, I have also noticed that spiritual formation that focuses more on the minister or counsellor being a friend and less a teacher and ambassador for the Church ultimately sets up intensely unpleasant future conversations.
If evangelization begins with a format or structure that is “understanding” to the point where the person to whom we are attempting to instruct believes they have been permitted to carry on with their lifestyle or worldview, then subsequent revelations that are more loyal to true Church teaching can become insurmountable barriers to the continuing spiritual engagement of the person. In some cases, being able to understand can be mistaken for tacit complicity in a person’s disordered actions and sinful lifestyle.
In many Catholic environments, especially those aimed at young adults, the desire to avoid sounding judgmental often leads mentors and spiritual authority figures to postpone difficult conversations indefinitely. A college student may spend months attending Bible studies, retreats, Eucharistic Adorations, and Masses without ever hearing a serious discussion about chastity, pornography, cohabitation, or the moral demands of a practically applied Catholic life.
The result is not a deeper conversion but a vague spiritual situation in which Catholicism becomes emotionally affirming while remaining morally ethereal. If the point of our mission as sons and daughters of the Church is to carry out our work in the Great Commission, then the witness we bear has to be authentic, durable, and unabashedly Catholic.
Often, the desire to downplay certain Church teachings comes from a desire, first and foremost, to begin someone on their way to building a relationship with Christ. However, while it may seem tempting to gloss over important teachings about morality and sin that the Church points to as paramount aspects of an authentic Catholic life, doing so is to set people down a path where the possibility of the eventual introduction of those cornerstone directives throws nothing more than confusion and a sense of betrayal into the way of their forward momentum.
The relationship can be damaged or even dissolved entirely. And we cannot hold that against those who have found themselves in this very situation. If the Catholicism that someone has been taught holds only a secondary, precarious grasp on Catholic teaching and timeless Biblical values, then they cannot be totally to blame when their exposure to both causes them distress.
The core teachings and values of the Catholic Faith must be introduced as soon as possible in both evangelization and mentoring. Otherwise, the loss of adherents becomes more of an observable reality than an unfortunate possibility.
The desire to be seen as an ally rather than a standard-bearer for Christ has become far too prevalent in the Church. While it makes sense that people are afraid of the possibilities that come from large-scale social ostracization and how that may impact them and their families both socially and financially, it is not an excusable reason to relegate Christ and the Catholic Church to the same level as a family therapist or support group. In fact, if we are facing pressure, we can most certainly be assured that we are doing something right. As Jesus said quite clearly of oppression stemming from our witness to Him, “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first” (Jn. 15:18 [NAB]).
Catholics do not need to be overly confrontational, nor should they be dismissive of the realities people find themselves in. Truly meeting someone where they are is to listen to them, assess their situation, and then present them with the good news of the Gospel in a manner that offers them a different way of living and viewing the world than what they have grown accustomed to.
While teenagers and adults are very different in some respects, we all have the same needs overall. Clearly-defined rules, unwavering adherence to objective truth, and a palpable joy of belonging to Him are the most effective weapons the laity has in its arsenal against the evil one and the secular world in which he operates.
While a half-hearted witness does a great amount of damage, nothing does more than a hidden witness. A fully lived, public faith in Christ demands that we not keep our mouths shut due to fear. As St. Catherine of Siena said, “Speak the truth in a million voices. It is silence that kills.” Catholics are blessed with the greatest gift of all: the Eucharist. If it is true that we can do all things through Him who sustains us, then our formation must be centered on the Mass. Faithfully attending Sunday Mass is the first and most important step in shoring up our faithful application of Christ’s directives and His Church’s teachings. Relying on Jesus, fully present in the Eucharist, to strengthen and sustain our discipleship, along with the intercession of His Mother and all the saints, is the only true way to faithfully evangelize a fallen world.
The earliest Catholics did not transform the world because they were overly accommodating, spiritually vague, or desperate for approval. They transformed it because they believed that Jesus Christ was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. They were willing to suffer for proclaiming Him to be so.
Modern Catholics often speak as though clarity itself is cruelty and conviction a form of social oppression. But faith that fears offending the world will eventually lose the ability to challenge it at all. The Church does not need more embarrassed believers. She needs men and women who are willing to speak clearly, love as He did, and endure rejection with a prayer on their lips and a smile on their face. Christ never promised us social acceptance or popularity. He promised us a cross. It is up to us, as the Church Militant, to take up our crosses, present them proudly, and continue the work that He left His Church to accomplish.
