Posted on July 12, 2024
Catechism Meditation:
The whole concern of doctrine and its teaching must be directed to the love that never ends. Whether something is proposed for belief, for hope or for action, the love of our Lord must always be made accessible, so that anyone can see that all the works of perfect Christian virtue spring from love and have no other objective than to arrive at love. ―No. 25
REFLECTION. There are times when someone who is not Catholic may have a question about your faith. Why do Catholics not eat meat on Fridays during Lent? Or why do Catholics have to confess their sins to a priest? It’s a great opportunity to be able to explain your faith with mutual respect. There are other times, though, when someone may be insulting, belittling, or attacking your Catholic faith. In those situations it’s easy to get angry or defensive.
If you are striving to be a Catholic Christian and defend the faith, then you must speak from the heart of the Church. You must be in a confident ability to charitably inform, or even sometimes correct, misunderstandings about the Catholic faith. “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence” (1 Pet 3:15b-16a).
Being prepared to share your faith requires study and love. You do not have to be an expert, but you should know the basics, and that means spending time with the Bible and the Catechism. However, even if one memorizes bible verses and the entire catechism, it is of no use if one does not grow in love because of it. As Terry Barber says in his book, How To Share Your Faith With Anyone, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Be kind. Don’t be a bully or come off like a know-it-all. Evangelization is about saving souls—bringing souls to Christ and bringing our separated brethren to the fullness of the Faith.”
PRAYER. Father, I pray that You strengthen my faith in Your Word and promises. I ask that You open my heart to what Your Word says. Help me to grow stronger in my faith.
Timeless Wisdom Quote:
“There are not one hundred people in the United States who hate The Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly perceive the Catholic Church to be.” ― Venerable Fulton J. Sheen
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