Evangelizing through love

"Love, in fact, impels the followers of Christ to proclaim to everyone the truth which saves." (Gaudium et spes, 28)

The strength of pure love, the Love of God, is so strong it's amazing! When we become filled with the Love of God, we are pushed to do so many things that we may not otherwise do. Again, "I dont want to be preached to, so why should I preach to someone else?" If you love someone, would you want to keep them from following a lie or a misunderstanding? If you truly care from someone, dont you help them pass a test? Not that life is a test, but wouldnt you want to help someone "pass" in life?

Every time I see or hear of someone living according to a misunderstanding, I am torn up inside. I cannot stand to see people following something other than the truth. Thus, I have no fear to speak the truth. I do so not because I hold myself over others, but rather in order to learn, as well as to help others find the light that I am gazing into.

The Second Vatican Council followed the above quote with the following: "But we must distinguish between the error (which must always be rejected) and the people in error, who never lose their dignity as persons even though they flounder amid false or inadequate religious ideas." We can never reject a creation of God. We must always be open to dialogue. From the same document: "In fact, the more deeply, through courtesy and love, we come to understand their ways of thinking, the more easily will we be able to enter into dialogue."

I do not claim to know much. In fact, I probably have more questions than I do answers. For example, whose fault is it that so many stray from Truth? Is it their own personal fault for living in error, or is it ours for not preaching the truth that we know and love?

Ignorance is bliss???

Evangelization—whose job is it? How important is it? Do Catholics really do it?

In today’s world, people are so content with living their own life and staying out of those of others. “I wouldn’t want someone to preach to me, so why should I preach to them. It’s the Golden Rule.” I doubt it. Can we really justify allowing someone to live in sin? Can we really justify letting someone live a life of ignorance to the truth, that is, to Truth? Would life really be that much easier to live if we did it out of ignorance? Sometimes I want to give it a try, just to see. I am one who likes to experience things for himself, so you can see some of the trials I so easily fall into at times. But when it comes down to it, I don’t think that I could live out of ignorance. At least, I don’t think I could do it now, knowing what I know. I can’t help but thank God every moment of my life for having found truth, and for knowing that there can only be one Truth—God.

It’s not about what feels good to us. If it was, we could all go out and do all kinds of stuff, and people, whenever we want. Rather, it’s about what is in line with God’s nature. It’s about doing what God would, what God is. It’s about acting without contradicting God. And the only way to do this is to come to know God. Not by reading a portion of the Bible, but by praying and reading as much as possible and by asking questions as much as possible. Whether you like it or not, we are a communal people, and need each other when it comes to finding Truth. So don’t be afraid to talk about God wherever you are—coffee shop, mall, or even the bathroom. The Priests are overworked as it is. If the laypeople don’t evangelize, who will?