Look at the news headlines. It’s a wonder that faithful Catholics aren’t cowering under their desks in a state of severe depression. Abortion. Same-sex marriage. Attacks on Christians. Attacks on the Church. Even worse are the assaults from within. Catholics who only believe some of the Creed. Catholics who preach their own version of Church teachings and their own interpretations of the Gospels. Could it be any worse? How can the faithful possibly fight back against such an assault?
The confusion and anxiety you’re feeling are all part of the enemy’s strategy to keep you focused on the wrong thing. Peek through the veil of tears and you will see that we are actually living in incredibly exciting times. Christians who are living out Christ’s example are positioned to change the world, and the weapons at our disposal are Easter, Jubilee and Mercy. The Catholic Triple Threat.
Easter
We are an Easter people. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ changed everything. Through the Lenten practices of fasting, almsgiving, and praying, we are encouraged to imitate Christ, to live as He taught us. Fasting helps us to break our attachment to worldly things. Almsgiving reminds us not only that we have enough to give but also that there are others who aren’t as fortunate. Prayer keeps us in relationship with God. Jesus prayed. Mary, in every apparition, encourages us to pray. We need to boldly ask God for the change we want to see, because He can’t answer prayer requests we never make.
The approach of Easter also gives us the perfect excuse to get the Good News out there on our blogs, our Facebook posts, and in articles and news stories related to the approaching holy day. We don’t know who might find God in one, small phrase we write or in that meme we share.
Jubilee
Going back to ancient Israel, Jubilee years were imitations of the mercy that God bestowed on the Israelites when He set them free from slavery in Egypt. What God had done for Israel, Israel did for its people. All debts were forgiven. If you owed somebody money, the debt was forgiven permanently. If your father lost the family farm, your family got the farm back so you could escape the cycle of poverty. If you were sold into slavery because of your debts, you were freed.
By living the Jubilee legislation, Israel lifted up their poor from a position of hopelessness. This Jubilee year encourages us to follow Pope Francis’ lead in focusing on the poor. Not just giving them money, but restoring their dignity. Not just donating items to a food bank but serving the poor dinner and talking with them as if they mattered. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta didn’t simply toss a few coins at the poor to help them meet their needs. She talked with them, touched them, and let them know that, in a world that had discarded them, they still had value.
Mercy
The final but most potent piece of ammunition against the tide of secularism and selfishness is mercy. The Catholic dictionary at Catholic Culture.org defines mercy as going beyond mere feelings of compassion or sympathy and into actual practice. “It is therefore the ready willingness to help anyone in need, especially in need of pardon or reconciliation.”
They will know we are Christians because when we see single pregnant mothers, we don’t sneer. We collect diapers and hold classes to teach them how to cope. Because when we see the feet of the homeless, we don’t say, “Gross!” We join the Catholic Worker Foot Clinic so that the poor can find relief for their tired feet and maybe even feel pampered for a brief time. Because when somebody does or says something offensive, we don’t go into an angry self-righteous rant. We gently, and with love, point out the truth.
We will meet opposition. We’ll be mocked for our stance on chastity, attacked for our fight against abortion, and called names when we go against the secular tide. Politicians and the media will present the worst interpretation of our actions and our words, but what do we expect? Satan isn’t going to sit back quietly and let us take over the world without a fight. If we respond with love, it won’t matter.
They will know we are Christians by our love. Easter. Jubilee. Mercy. That’s quite an arsenal.
Copyright 2016, Jacqueline Vick
Jacqueline Vick
Jacqueline Vick is a devout Catholic, wife to a wonderful guy, pet parent to a troubled mutt, and mystery writer. Her website is www.jacquelinevick.com.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.