Being a follower of Christ means accepting a lot of what Christ accepted. He even told us so. ‘You will be persecuted just like me, because of me.’ So why do we always look for legitimacy in the eyes of the world? Christ’s disciples of the 21st century, go out with reckless abandon to show Christ’s love to the world. Preach what is right not what is popular. Associate with those whom it will appear scandal to do so, the poor, the sinners, the unclean!!! Accept all people into your hearts and lives and show them the way to Christ.
Don’t expect perfection. I find it highly unreasonable that Jesus found 12 nearly perfect people with whom to associate. Instead, He had patience- three years of it. And still the committed the grandest of atrocities, betrayal of their lord and master, the Messiah and Savior. Yet again, Christ stayed with them and had mercy on them. How many times do you upstanding Christians out there threaten to leave a friend or decide privately not to associate as much with that person because of lesser sins they have committed?
In Dante’s Inferno, what is it that constitutes this final layer of Hell? It is not some sexual sin, premarital sex, or even homosexual acts. It is not missing church twice a month. It is not even murder! It is betrayal. If Jesus did not abandon those worst of sinners, but instead built His love for the world upon them, how wrong must we be to think about giving up on anyone.
Again, I say, be patient and loving. God doesn’t ever ask that you convert a single person to Christianity. I think this is a false notion going around American Christianity today. We want to see success and when the fruits of our labor are not readily visible we assume we’re doing something wrong. God gives us the mission to ‘be a light unto the world;’ ‘to be a city set on a hill;’ ‘to be salt of the earth’- to give the world the flavor of love that it so desperately needs. Help a stranger out in a big way without expecting anything. Continue helping a non-believer even if they tell you they don’t want to join your church. This is the love of Christ that will attract.
At our youth center where we put on programs every Friday for the kids of the area, we offer activities and events every week to them. Most of them are not Catholic and may never be. But we still continue to help them and befriend them. This may seem fruitless but if we show Christ to these kids who need Christ in their lives, God alone will be watching and will judge us.
Be radical. Love people. Preach the Truth. Be willing to accept persecution. Show Jesus Christ to the world.
