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Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles.
If you ever wondered if the lives of the Apostles were made-up stories, then today's saints offer some strong evidence to suggest otherwise. We know very little about the lives of Saints Simon and Jude. Apparently, no one ever took the time to "make-up" a story about their lives.
What we do know for sure is that Simon's friends nicknamed him "the zealot"; that is, a passionate and uncompromising man. Knowing that, I am convinced he must have been the unassuming type of Apostle, a Lone Ranger of sorts, working closely, one-on-one, with simple people. Unlike Paul, he never took the time to write letters or have someone keep a journal or diary for him and for posterity. Hence, to me, it seems a bit unfair to label St. Paul the greatest Apostle EVER simply because he wrote more than the others and therefore we know him better than the others. We will know the truth one day, when we are in heaven, and chances are it will not matter one way or the other.
What matters most is that we are passionate for the Lord and uncompromising in His Will.
Are you passionate? Are you zealous for God?
This morning someone forwarded me an article written in The Guardian regarding Islam in England. It turns out that approximately 5,000 people (mostly women) convert each year to Islam. This is interesting, considering how secular England has become. Some of the converts grew up in atheistic families. Most of them came from non-practicing religious households. All of them were introduced to Islam by a friend or work associate.
When will you start talking to your friends about the Lord, especially to non-Christian friends? When will stop giving up so quickly? When will you reject the mindless and bogus nonsense that you should never (or are not allowed to) share your faith with others?
The world is changing, and it will change with or without you, and for better or for worse. You can make a difference, a big difference, one soul at a time. Start today. Make a difference. Get involved. Share your love for Jesus Christ. We have something special here. We know someone very special. We have the King of Love with us. What are you waiting for? Get moving. Get going. The Church does not need you more than the world needs you! Especially in today's ruthless and cut-throat society.
I know people who get upset when someone takes their parking spot. Do you get upset when you read what celebrities or bloggers are saying about our faith? It's one thing to ignore Jesus Christ. It's another thing to publically mock Jesus Christ and His Church. Stand up. Make some calls. Write some comments. Get involved. Make a difference.
Their message goes out through all the earth. Does yours?
What a fascinating article. I wish the 5,000 people converted to Catholicism; however, I respect the women for courageously converting to a religion viewed as hostile/oppressive. I can understand the fascination with the deep mysticism, sense of peace, and strong moral foundations taught within the Islamic tradition. However, it’s difficult for me to fathom why anybody would want to practice such an ancient religion with rules that haven’t changed much since the 5th century. But, then again, Muslims probably have trouble understanding why people convert to Catholicism; praying to statues of Mary, the Saints, and a crucifix.
ReplyDeleteI see the importance in being zealous in proclaiming the faith to others. When does being zealous reach the point of becoming overly-fanatical about Christianity? I think in order for us to make a real difference we need to learn our faith backwards and forwards, inside and out. Become apologetics experts. Be brave enough to show our faith in all that we do, think, and say. Live and breathe Jesus Christ with strong moral conviction and sound reasoning.
-Jennifer
Father, what can an office worker do to share the faith?
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous - I hope you don't mind if I share some of my thoughts to your great question. I'm sure Father can provide better examples when he gets a chance to respond. :)
DeleteThere are so many ways to share the faith in the office. What I find most effective is when I bring up faith in social interaction or office cooler talk. For example, when someone asks if I have plans for the weekend I bring up something related to Church (i.e. attending Mass, going on a retreat, etc.) Also, I find wearing a crucifix or my chastity ring will sometimes provoke questions. (I love it when I hear, "Oh are you engaged, Jennifer?" when they see my silver ring...) I remember one time telling a friend that I needed to go to Confession one weekend. The person laughed and joked about it but then became interested in hearing about why Catholics practice reconciliation. People pretty much know I'm Catholic when I take off on vacation for the entire Easter Week to be able to participate in the liturgy. Even comments about Pope Francis can be a way of sharing the faith. Almost all of my Protestant and non-Christian friends think highly of the new Pope. Interesting enough I hear many co-workers and friends remark that they've only been inside a Catholic Church for a wedding or a funeral. This is an opportunity to invite them to Sunday Mass -- maybe even one when Father "Surprise" Alfonse is preaching. ;)
Blessings,
-Jennifer
This is now my new favorite phrase!
ReplyDelete"It's one thing to ignore Jesus Christ. It's another thing to publically mock Jesus Christ and His Church".
As always, Thank you for a good read.
~JM
The Monday Meditation is mentioning Islam - the Catechism says pitifully little about that faith (which some might say is more a political ideology) - see CCC 841 which seems very weak. In view of world events, a discussion of contrasts (Catholicism/Islam) might be a way to discuss/share the faith. The Jesus of the Koran and of the Gospels are not at all the same, Allah and the Creator mentioned in our Declaration of Independence aren't the same either, etc, etc,.........
ReplyDelete