Consequently, the Catholic faith, which is profoundly relevant (because everything in our society -- even our atheism-- is built on it) seems the most irrelevant thing to the vast majority of worldlings. How then, do we even begin to evangelize a world which is not simply lost as the ancient pagan world was lost, but is lost within a world that is still deeply Christian? Furthermore, those who reject Catholicism, continue to live and operate within a system of morality which upholds 'goodness' or 'spirituality' or 'decent behavior'--all of which comes from deeply Catholic assumptions. Therefore a huge proportion of the population follow a religion which is a vague, attenuated form of Christianity--a pale, milk and water variation of the real thing.
Those who follow this watered down, vague and spindly belief system (I can't even call it a religion) therefore seem immune to real Christianity because they feel they don't need it. It is as if they have been inoculated against Catholicism by having a tiny dose of the real thing. They are consequently impervious to the Truth.
H0w can we evangelize such a people? I believe the only way is through radical discipleship. The world needs to see today, what the pagan world saw in the early Christians. They need to see radiant, courageous, joyful and uncompromising Catholics. They need to see and hear such Catholics who will stand up and fight for the truth with the zeal and good humor of the martyrs.
Where can such Catholics be found in such a soft and decadent age? They are here. I see them day by day and week by week. They are here in our pews, in our schools, in our parishes. They will stand up for the faith if they have leaders, and they will move forward with great sacrifice and courage once they have a cause.
These Catholics will march forward with full knowledge that the world thinks them fools. They will be Don Quixote Catholics--tilting at windmills, reading the old books, wearing a bedpan for a helmet and brandishing as a sword the Scriptures and as a dagger the Catechism. The will defend the weak, support the poor and love the sinner.
That kind of Quixote Catholicism will Evangelize the West and nothing else.
15 comments:
"These Catholics will march forward with full knowledge that the world thinks them fools."
That's how I think of all of us doing the lifechains out by the shopping centers on Sunday afternoons: look at the fools, what could be more uncool?
But I never considered the Donkey Hotie angle.
Wow. If I was a plagiarist, I would do a find/replace and use this as a part of a sermon at my Presbyterian church. (or if you would prefer, while I am on your turf: "church")
Thanks!
Anyone familiar with the holy fool tradition of Russia?
I hope I am a bedpan wearing Catholic brandishing the Scriptures and the Catechism but I don't know about tilting at windmills which has a sort of negative meaning - attacking imaginary enemies. Our enemies are real enough, people - some inside the Church - who are doing the work of the evil one.
I hope I am a bedpan wearing Catholic brandishing Bible and Catechism but I don't know about tilting at windmills which has a sort of negative connotation - attacking imaginary enemies. Our enemies are real enough, those people, some of them in the Church, who are doing the work of the evil one.
I have been thinking this for a while now myself. Thanks for saying it.
At its heart, Catholicism is discovering the real dead-end (dolorous stroke) of Cafeteria Catholicism. However, Evangelicalism's just entering it, calling it 'Emergent Church'.
But we can say, 'Been there. Done that.(And it failed miserably.)', and many, savvy 'traditionalist', Evangelicals see the alarm bells of this 'Spirit of Evangelicalism', and are predicting/opining the 'End of Evangelicalism' (which is likely to be a mortal wound without Apostolic Tradition).
Despite the Jungianesque mythology, the Grail is the Eucharist, and it is truly present in the Catholic Church alone.
Many people are 'knights errant' questing for the Grail, when it's present, right there, on our altars, as Malcolm Muggeridge pointed out in his conversion story after his meeting with Archbishop Fulton Sheen.
We might be knights errant but, as you suggest, we need some Edmund Campions...
Robert
Yes!
Was just recently St Xenia of Petersburg Day on the Orthodox Calendar. Her grave survived the Bolsheviks and is the destination of tens of thousands of pilgrims to this day.
some say the 'fool' of 'The Way of the Pilgrim' was the Russian Tsar Paul V (or one of them) who wanted to go see the 'real' life of the country and its inhabitants.
it was the Padre who first told me about the 'Jesus Prayer' many moons ago in East Sussex... goes along with what i realized at age 14 : 'Be still and know that I am God' from the Psalms and St Vincent de Lerens
...who gave us a method of sorting the curd from the whey.
Thank God, and thank God for Abp Charles Chaput of Denver who actually tries to help poor people not just talk about it... how Christian is that now?
"tilting at windmills which has a sort of negative connotation - attacking imaginary enemies."
Yes, the windmills were not the enemy; they were Don Quixote's physical proxies for the real enemy, which I think was the loss of personal striving and heroic behavior. The windmills weren't real enemy, and Desdemona wasn't a real princess. But by being treated as an imaginary princess, she was redeemed.
I thought she was Dulcinea
Actually, the windmills were the enemies insofar as they were part of industrial "progress." The fulling hammers DQ encounters later might be an even better example.
I think.
They're the sidewalk counselors and consistent prayer warriors outside the abortion clinics.
But the previous folks chaining themselves outside the mills were left there alone.
Your article sounds good, but in reality, it is for naught. The laborers are few - don't count on there being any more than now.
It will be our oppression that makes the Light of Christ stand out, not our bed pans or tilting. Suffering for Him who suffered for us.
What an awesome post. Some of these ideas have been rumbling around in my head for a while but you stated it so clearly, as usual. Christianity is imperative to the preservation of the world as we know it, and yet, it is rejected out of ignorance and blindness.(sort of like not being able to see the backs of our heads)
Good leaders are important. Thank you for blogging. Kay
Loved your post, Father, and it hit the spot. I am beginning a new ministry in our parish, training the other ministries in how to evangelize. It had seemed to me that it had to be love that would make the difference. Our own passionate love for Christ that is the result of an intimate relationship with Him. That type of love is effusive and attractive. That type of love also causes us to love the ones we are evangelizing,which brings us an entirely different attitude in our interactions. God in us loving God in them.
And yes, the beloved in Don Quixote is Dulcinea. Never read the book but my mom played the reord all the time.
@Anthony Brett Dawe: It's really quite amazing how much the faith of the Russian people survived the persecution of the Bolsheviks. If you ever go over there make sure to make a few churches and see for yourself. Have you been. The Jesus Prayer is a very powerful prayer, maybe that is why I often avoid it. Normally the exhortation to pray constantly is unobtainable, but with this prayer it is easy.
Post a Comment