Monday 22 February 2016

Christians, We Need to Learn to Shoosh!

This blog post may seem like an admonition: it’s not. Well, it may be. OK, it is – for some.

This is not an attempt for *me* to justify *myself* as much as it is a plea to Catholics – especially young Catholics – everywhere.

When I tell people I’m Catholic, there are a wide range of reactions I often receive.

From ‘me too’ to a smile or even a blank face, from ‘I'm not religious but-that-Pope-Francis-is-really-something’ to ‘DO YOU KNOW PELL SHOULD BE IN JAIL?!?!?,’ telling people you're Catholic is always a hoot.


My favourite reaction? It may surprise you:


“You’re Catholic? Wow, I didn’t even know! You seem so… well, normal!”


Now, I know it seems crazy. I *like* when people don’t know I’m Catholic, I *like* when people see something in me and are surprised it comes from my feeble attempts to be utterly devoted to Christ. The reason for this?


I want people to see my joy and ask me where it comes from. Maybe I oversimplify things, but to me, our faith is simple. Judgment is even simpler. What we will be judged on? Read this – salvation summarised beautifully by Blessed Mother Teresa:
“At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.’” (Matthew 25:35-45)
Let me add something to this wonderful woman’s words: you will not be *positively* judged on how much of a despondent Christian you are or how many ‘this is why you need to change’ discourses you give throughout the day.


Our faith is simple. 


I can imagine people’s reactions to this – “BUT BUT BUT we are called to be ‘in this world, but not of this world…’” (John 15:19)


YES, but chill. Not being of the world doesn't mean loathing all earthly things and becoming a bitter, preachy misery to be around - it simply means being able to withdraw yourself from the world and value heavenly things above things that will perish. 


Our faith is simple.


Let me make the point of this post easy-as-pie: you can talk about Jesus without mentioning His name. That is actually what ‘preaching without words’ IS.


Instead of feeling the need to walk up to someone and randomly ask them about the state of their spiritual life, PRAY FOR THEM.
Instead of having a deluded sense of ‘humility’ and talking about every one of your earthly talents as distractions from your spiritual life, or ultimately useless because-you’re-not-going-to-sing/dance/slam dunk-your-way-to-Heaven, use that talent for good.
Instead of telling people you are a Christian, let them know you are Christian by your love (ahem… your SILENT love).

Our faith is simple.


For the sake of those that will take these words out of context: I am NOT telling people never to mention the name at which all knees bow. What I am telling people is that as Christians, we are called to be *in this world.* What that means is that even if we are not *of this world,* we still need to live *in this world,* and evangelisation does not mean cutting yourself off from normalcy and joy and choosing instead to bulldoze over people on your high horse, all the while proclaiming their ignorance when they don’t succumb to your “wisdom.”


Loving Jesus is great but ultimately hypocritical if we treat others as inferior because they see things differently to us. 
Going to church is great, but not if it means you go there simply to belong to some sort of exclusive cohort of other holier-than-thou’s.
Talking about our faith and being open about our convictions is great, but can be more harmful than good if we do it without the tact it requires (Note: if you don’t know the tact it requires, shoosh – you’ll do *much* less damage)

Our faith is simple.


Evangelisation is not about ripping out pages of the Summa and shoving it down people’s throats. It isn’t about making sure people notice the shrine hanging around your neck. It’s not even about TELLING people you are a Christian. It’s about BEING a Christian. AS A CHRISTIAN, more is expected of you - that is, more love, less talk.


Be someone’s friend: listen more than you speak. Love them, and the rest will come.


When you are perfectly yourself, perfectly NORMAL and perfectly holy, you glorify God. Dare I say, He probably dances around His throne at the very sight of it.

Just shoosh, God won’t be mad, I promise.