The vowed religious at the wedding
In between the awkwardly drunken apology—”Father, nothing bad happening over here!”—and the even more awkwardly inappropriate woman’s misplaced flirting, I can understand why most priests I know prefer to stay away from wedding receptions. I was not technically a groomsman, yet I was practically one. Although I did not appear dressed as one, I was pretty much doing groomsman stuff. I was a constant reminder to everyone present of his own faith.
Many Catholics I know would prefer that I always wear my habit in public, all times and everywhere, because of the value of the witness. It all sounds so beautiful.
However, I usually end up mistaken for the the Grim Reaper, a Wizard out of Hogwarts, a Jedi, or Neo from the Matrix, witnessing instead to a hodge-podge of post-modern pop-culture martial arts magic. If I were even remotely identifiable as someone religious or Catholic, I might begin entering into so-called silent witnessing.
In the restroom, a man was ready to talk candidly about God, prayer, faith, and religion. Luckily, he wasn’t drunkenly trying to pick a fight or make wild pedophilia accusations. I moved the conversation to the lobby of the reception hall, so it was quiet enough without “Gangnam Style” blaring in the next room.
He described a sort of personal evolution that allowed him to accept the possibility of the existence of God, the advantage of religion, morals, and community, and the inadequacy of doing it all on his own. Most of all I was struck by how he often repeated, “I don’t really have faith, but sometimes I pray that God may give it to me.”
What is faith?
Isn’t faith something we do? Isn’t it a choice we make? Isn’t faith about assenting to the truths of our religion?
Faith is more fundamentally a response to, as the Catechism quotes Dei Verbum, the Revelation of the invisible God, from the fullness of love, addressing men as friend, moving among them, inviting and receiving them into his company. Incarnate Divinity, Christ, was among us.
The adequate response to God’s saving acts to humanity, to his full Revelation in the person of Christ, is faith (CCC142). Therefore, faith is partially a gift. It is not merely rationalizing your way into the right thing to do, your duty, or service to some sort of mathematical equation deity.
God acts in such a way that God is known. Jesus Christ is Incarnate, walks among us, calls us friends and to discipleship. God is known. The fact hovers before our consciousness awaiting an appropriate response.
For many people it can be an easy response. Their parents, family, significant mentors, and friends have done well to serve the Lord, and they will too. Some people have a hard time reconciling their own families apathy or hypocrisy to think God or Church has any credibility.
How I encourage the “faithless”
I try to keep this all in mind when I am dialoguing and witnessing. It relieves them of a series of oughts and shoulds superimposed upon them. When they are aware of the whole story of what God has already done, then all of a sudden, from within they want all the oughts and the shoulds. When they begin to make that response, they are very willing to do what it takes.
Yet, in some of it all, we are powerless, and it requires more tireless prayer. Some of the witness is just waiting for the right season. If faith is gift, the holy Spirit is doing most of the work, not us.
I could have told the man in the bathroom that his “unusual” desire for faith was quite normal. It was, perhaps, the seedling of a gift that will flower when the season is right. After all, it was a gift. I merely had to encourage him not to let the imperfection of other believers get in the way.
Were I to locate imperfection in the communion of believers, I would probably have to highlight myself to this man. Yet he trusted me. I was not some sort of haphazard person doing to much religious stuff going to a seminary. I was not Jedi Matrix Wizard. I was someone who already responded to the gift of faith that God has given me. To him, I held in my hands the gifts to the gateway to where faith is.
Just a reminder for witnessing
CCC 142 By his Revelation, “the invisible God, from the fullness of his love, addresses men as his friends, and moves among them, in order to invite and receive them into his own company.” The adequate response to this invitation is faith.
CCC 1102 “By the saving word of God, faith is nourished in the hearts of believers. By this faith then the congregation of the faithful begins and grows.” The proclamation does not stop with a teaching; it elicits the response of faith as consent and commitment, directed at the covenant between God and his people. Once again it is the Holy Spirit who gives the grace of faith, strengthens it and makes it grow in the community. The liturgical assembly is first of all a communion in faith.
Copyright © 2013, Mark Menegatti
Mark Menegatti
Brother Mark Menegatti is a Friar with the Order of Saint Augustine. He is a hip hop beatmaker & lyricist for the New Evangelization. Under the patronage of Saint Ephrem of Syria, he integrates theology, mysticism, and hip hop in his blog and in all of his music. He is currently in his fourth year of Theology in Chicago, and looks forward to ordination to the Priesthood. You can find his writings, theological reflections, chastity exhortations, and original music on his tumblr. He’s also found at Bandcamp music page, Twitter, and Facebook.
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