THIS YEAR INVITE OTHERS TO VISIT YOU IN STATE

I was on a walk around St. Sebastian the other night with a person who often guest blogs here (and will again be doing so soon) and we were talking about faith and the Church. She posed the question as to why certain topics are not preached about in general very often. We came up with the list of possible reasons why. They were all reasonable and defendable. One of the reasons was that it is assumed that people who show up at Mass know about many of the topics already. “No we don’t!” she protested and promised to guest blog on that topic some day soon.

But after we were done laying out the topics she said something that shook me up quite a bit. We were discussing about how some topics need to be brought up with tact and understanding lest you alienate the very people you wish to bring to truth when she asked, “Do you think that everybody who comes to Mass and receives Holy Communion is in a state of grace?” I had to admit that I had a sneaky suspicion that the state of grace was not a universal state. “If you could see the state of the souls of the people to whom you were given the responsibility preach, do you think you would preach with greater conviction than you do?”

I stopped dead in my tracks. I could not move from that spot in the conversation or down the side walk. If, like a doctor, what was ailing the Body of Christ could be physically seen, how differently might the message be? For that matter, if you could see that about anybody you ran into, if you could see their hurts and the sins that are clung to in the misguided effort to make the hurt go away, how much more eagerly might any of us speak out, proclaim healing to the nations? Or to your Mom? Or to your son? Or to your best friend or coworker? That we are mostly blind to the state of another’s soul does not mean that problems are not there but that we can choose to believe that they are not there.

In a way we can see it. How many people do you know who are simply not happy? They engage in repeated activities that promise great relief and rewards and in the end are left sad and dry? I have a lot of respect for the person mentioned above for she risks in order to bring others into a state of meaning, of hope, and of grace. From listening to her there are generally two steps that work in what is essentially evangelization. The first is that you listen and let the other know that you care about them. The second is when the opportunity seems right you say, “Well here’s is what works for me.” Though this method she has adopted many spiritual children and expanded the message of the Cross and Resurrection.

What does not work is this: I remember once being on the bus as a kid with my Mother and a man was steadily moving down the aisle seat by seat and proselytizing by saying, “Are you saved? Do you know you are going to hell?” Needless to say nobody wanted to listen to him and he made no converts.

Priests cannot evangelize well. There is a lot that comes with the collar and it can be a overpowering to one who is nervous about the faith already. Further priests are not in your home, your work place, your school, or gathering place. He can’t be. But you are there. You can bring the message. If you saw a bleeding arm you would have the compassion to assist the person in distress. The soul is more important than the arm. If you could see the state you would probably rush to help them also. But you can come to see the effects of not striving for grace by coming to know and love those around you. Then when there seems to be an opening in the wall, there is the chance to say, “Do you know what works for me?”