Reversion 2.0

Evangelization is something we are all called to do. The opportunity can arise when you least expect it. For example, I was doing my laundry the other day at the Laundromat in my neighbourhood when I started talking to a lady there, I will call her Sheila to avoid actual names. The conversation turned to religion, which most people avoid like the plague. It came out that this woman, “used to be” a Catholic, but due to some issues that she had, decided that she could worship, pray and read her Bible at home. Her belief was that she could be “Spiritual” without being a part of a large organized religion.

To avoid a long and drawn out story, she asked me 3 questions regarding the faith:

1. How do you explain and justify the evil and hatred in the world?
2. If Jesus is inside my heart and I can find truth and beauty at home, how can you say that he is only in the Church?
3. Can you explain the difference between Catholicism and the other traditions of Christianity?

I had to start in Genesis 3 for this one, and explained that although baptism removes the stain of Original Sin, it still leaves “concupiscence” behind, which is the tendency towards sin, and that there is no justification for the presence of sin. I asked “can you admit that the evil in the world is mankind’s fault?” and she said yes. I replied that if God fixed the problems in the world outright, it would negate free will, and that would negate salvation by choice. She acquiesced to this.

Next I explained the differences between the Church and Protestants, starting with Papal authority. I quoted from Matt 16 where Jesus renames Simon to Peter and asked her if she believed that Jesus was giving special authority to Peter and she said she did. I explained how in John 20 Jesus instructs the Disciples/Apostles to forgive the sins of others in his name and to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I asked her if she believed that the Apostles were given the ability to forgive sins and asked her if our priests could do the same through Apostolic Succession and she said she did. So far so good.

Lastly, I explained how she does find truth at home and I also explained that a lot of Protestants do have truth, my parents for instance display a great faith and love for Jesus outside of the Church. I then asked her if Jesus is in the Eucharist and she said yes. I then said that if Jesus said he was the Truth, and he is present in the Church in His fullness of body, blood, soul and divinity, then the Truth in its fullness is resting in the Church alone, not just as a physical reality, but as a theological reality also. How could the fullness of Truth exist in a Church that did not teach it? Apart from this, outside the Church there are no Sacraments, and if the Truth in its fullness rests in the Church, then the Sacraments of the Church are true and vital also.

Here’s the bottom line. Sheila asked me what she should do then. I was blown away. I don’t think anyone has responded like that to a conversation about the Catholic Church with me before. I had evangelized as a Protestant before but this was entirely new to me as a Catholic. Don’t get me wrong, I talk about the Church, but usually it upsets people and they start talking about gay rights or abortion or some other thing they think the Church is wrong about and I end up defending the faith. This woman was different. Sheila asked me what to do.

I asked her if she was baptized and confirmed and she said she was. I told her to go to Confession and make it a good one and receive the Eucharist after and she was back on track. Sheila looked at me and said that she would go to Confession and receive the Eucharist for the first time in MANY years! We have a Catholic Revert!!

PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!!!

I cannot contain my excitement!!! What a wonderful work that Jesus did in this woman! She was hurting and empty and searching for the truth, and all she needed was for someone to answer some nagging questions she had in a patient manner. That Jesus would choose me for this work is amazing for me. I am so glad that I was able to be a part of this.

So pray for Sheila that she makes a good Confession and receives the Eucharist without obstacle and that she grows in faith, love and charity in Christ.

Lesson: NEVER give up on anyone. Maybe they say they don’t believe, but you never know. I thought I was going to end up making apologies (in the true sense of the word) for the Church, but Jesus had something so much better in mind. Imagine not receiving Sacraments for years! No thanks!!

Pray for someone you know right now that they find the fullness of truth in the Church. Write their names (real or not, God knows who they are even if I don’t) in the comments section so everyone who reads it can pray for them too.

In Christ Jesus,
Joel

P.S. PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!!!