I like to share "stuff" about my Christian faith in social media particularly on Facebook once in a while by posting articles, memes, quotes and the like, mainly to educate or spread awareness especially to anti-Catholic, atheist, agnostic and polemical individuals (special thanks to them, they were one of the primary reasons behind why I started learning more and appreciated more my Catholic faith and tradition). I even created a page on the topic and tried my venture on selling Christian apparel online recently as well. (If it weren't for these reasons, I would have long readily departed with and deactivated my Facebook account.)
Just when I was about to wrap up this blog, it was time to attend mass with my family, so I saved the draft. In our church, every week there is a challenge question posted on the projector screen for congregation to reflect upon. Today that question they posted affirmed the blog I am currently writing:
And in that same church, few years ago, I had read I guess a fairly popular quote in a hand-made poster in the wall that is a stark reminder to all of us Christians (whether you are cultural, nominal, lukewarm, practicing, active, indifferent) about the value of knowing and sharing our Christian faith:
However, I'm pretty sure some friends on Facebook do not share the same sentiment, passion or interest I do and probably find my religious musings quite annoying or overbearing by now. I might be wrong but it's just a sense. So I wish to share one point why I am sharing "religious stuff" fairly "religiously", why go through all the trouble, sometimes not making myself look good, instead of just doing common things people do on Facebook: Self-promotion (e.g., taking selfies, food and travel photos, brand new cars, bags, shoes, etc., all the fun stuff)
I
was inspired to write this blog piece to share a point made by a Catholic
apologist Patrick Madrid from his audio talk "Right here right now"
in particular when he ended his talk with a short story and its take-away
lesson on why it's important that we need to engage and share our faith to
others. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope St. John Paul II even affirmed that
we should make use and take advantage of social media and online technology to
communicate and evangelize in this new millennium. I may add that we need not
worry if we think of ourselves unworthy or others think of us as hypocrites. We
are all sinful creatures. If you wait until you look yourself perfect in the
mirror before you start sharing your faith and posting online, it will never
ever going to happen.
"The world is a dangerous place to
live;
Not because of
the people who are evil,
But because of the people
who don't do anything about
it."
(Quote attributed to Albert Einstein)
For me, sharing our faith is like a double-edge sword. I noticed when I share, it also edifies and challenges me to be a better version of myself (i.e. walk the talk), putting myself accountable in the public eye, in my friends' eyes, while at the same time attempting to evangelize or educate online in the hope there are people willing to take the time and effort to read and reflect what I shared with the same time and effort they put watching entertaining videos or politics or sports online, and with the same docility, seriousness and attentiveness they take reading and believing secular articles and news media with ease against Christianity, clerics and the Church without second thoughts or without worrying about fact-checking or deceitful historical story-telling or reporting. Of course we should approach evangelizing with caution making sure we do not become hubristic, arrogant and proselytizing (e.g., calling Atheists and other Christian harsh names and accusing others as idolaters, anti-Christ, perverting Christianity, etc., as I had heard and encountered quite a few, unfortunately in the Fundamentalist, fallen-away Catholic camp. Catholics are of no exception into this trap, either.) Keeping in my mind that evangelizing is not the highest goal of our Christian life as Contemplative life is. Of course, there are a lot of ways to share your faith that are more effective than the impersonal social media, I get that. I am writing just within the context of why posting relevant informative stuff about your Christian faith online is also of value, especially in a fast-paced, technologically driven world we are in nowadays.
"Do
not be afraid, speak out, and refuse to be silenced; I am with thee,
and none shall come near to do thee harm; I have a great following in
this city."
(Acts 18:9-10)
Anyway, the story Patrick Madrid told and his closing remark goes this way. This was a true story.
"I was walking down a dimly lit
street late one evening when I heard muffled screams coming from behind a clump
of bushes. Alarmed, I slowed down to listen and panicked when I realized that
what I was hearing was the unmistakable sounds of a struggle: heavy grunting,
frantic scuffling and tearing of fabric.
Only yards from where I stood, a woman was being attacked. Should I get involved? I was frightened for my own safety and cursed myself for having suddenly decided to take a new route home that night. What if I became another statistic? Shouldn’t I just run to the nearest phone and call the police?
Although it seemed an eternity, the deliberations in my head had taken only seconds, but already the cries were growing weaker. I knew I had to act fast.
How could I walk away from this? No, I finally resolved, I could not turn my back on the fate of this unknown woman, even if it meant risking my own life.
I am not a brave man, nor am I athletic. I don’t know where I found the moral courage and physical strength — but once I had finally resolved to help the girl, I became strangely transformed. I ran behind the bushes and pulled the assailant off the woman.
Grappling, we fell to the ground, where we wrestled for a few minutes until the attacker jumped up and escaped.
Panting hard, I scrambled upright and approached the girl, who was crouched behind a tree, sobbing.
In the darkness, could barely see her outline, but I could certainly sense her trembling shock.
Not wanting to frighten her further, I at first spoke to her from a distance.
“It’s OK,” I said soothingly, “The man ran away. You’re safe now.”
There was a long pause and then I heard the words, uttered in wonder, in amazement.
“Dad, is that you?” And then, from behind the tree, stepped my youngest daughter, Judy.
Only yards from where I stood, a woman was being attacked. Should I get involved? I was frightened for my own safety and cursed myself for having suddenly decided to take a new route home that night. What if I became another statistic? Shouldn’t I just run to the nearest phone and call the police?
Although it seemed an eternity, the deliberations in my head had taken only seconds, but already the cries were growing weaker. I knew I had to act fast.
How could I walk away from this? No, I finally resolved, I could not turn my back on the fate of this unknown woman, even if it meant risking my own life.
I am not a brave man, nor am I athletic. I don’t know where I found the moral courage and physical strength — but once I had finally resolved to help the girl, I became strangely transformed. I ran behind the bushes and pulled the assailant off the woman.
Grappling, we fell to the ground, where we wrestled for a few minutes until the attacker jumped up and escaped.
Panting hard, I scrambled upright and approached the girl, who was crouched behind a tree, sobbing.
In the darkness, could barely see her outline, but I could certainly sense her trembling shock.
Not wanting to frighten her further, I at first spoke to her from a distance.
“It’s OK,” I said soothingly, “The man ran away. You’re safe now.”
There was a long pause and then I heard the words, uttered in wonder, in amazement.
“Dad, is that you?” And then, from behind the tree, stepped my youngest daughter, Judy.
Just imagine what would have happen if that Father had taken
the easy way out, if he had not taken the risk, if he had not been willing to
put his life on the line. Imagine if he had found out later that it was his
own daughter. This story reminds us poignantly of our own need to step forward
and not just know what we believe, not just know why we believe it, but be
willing to share it.
Just when I was about to wrap up this blog, it was time to attend mass with my family, so I saved the draft. In our church, every week there is a challenge question posted on the projector screen for congregation to reflect upon. Today that question they posted affirmed the blog I am currently writing:
And in that same church, few years ago, I had read I guess a fairly popular quote in a hand-made poster in the wall that is a stark reminder to all of us Christians (whether you are cultural, nominal, lukewarm, practicing, active, indifferent) about the value of knowing and sharing our Christian faith:
“If we don’t teach our children to follow Christ,
the world will teach them not to.”
RECOMMENDED BOOK.
Easy to read, very practical in approach.
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