One trick writers use is to present a seeming contradiction to grab readers’ attention, and then work through how that “contradiction” actually furthers an underlying concept. For example, I’m about to tell you when you should consider not taking action as a Christian.
Folks who have read my past reflections know I’m a huge believer in the power of action when it comes to our faith. To borrow from the Letter of James, “If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:15-17) That one idea alone is one of the biggest points of contention with our fellow Christians of other denominations, who place emphasis on the full-stop power of faith to lead to their salvation.
But action is not required in all cases. For example, in today’s Gospel selection from Luke, Jesus warns his believers of a time when “they will seize you and persecute you,” which will lead to your giving “testimony.” Christ then continues: “Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.”
One thing that I have to remind myself in certain situations is this: the truth does not need our active help in defending it. The truth is the truth regardless of whether people want to believe it. There’s no preparation necessary to assert something like, “Don’t step into that elevator shaft; there’s no elevator, and you’ll plunge to the ground and die.” Your “job” in that situation is to state the truth, and hope that the listener has the wisdom necessary to step away from the abyss.
We saw something similar today in the first reading from Daniel, when King Belshazzar asked Daniel the meaning of the strange words inscribed on the wall by a human hand that appeared from nowhere. Daniel interprets the writing, without embellishment; he offers an explanatory prelude so the King will understand the message, but then he simply reveals what God has revealed: Belshazzar’s kingdom is doomed. That same night, King Belshazzar was slain. (As an aside, this story is the origin of phrase “the writing’s on the wall.”)
Similarly, when people question us about the Catholic faith, or when the opportunity comes to spread the Word, being truthful is our most powerful resource. And God’s Truth doesn’t require our action to amplify or embellish it.
See, God doesn’t need our prayers, attention, or faith. The Lord existed before time, and will exist beyond the current age of the earth, world without end. Unlike the pagan myths of legend, our faith doesn’t make God stronger, or bring Him life, or the like.
And from a certain point of view, trying too hard to be the agents of action to spread the Truth actually projects a view of weakness in the Message we’re spreading . . . as if it wasn’t powerful enough on its own to be believed or believable, as if we didn’t trust the Spirit to give us the wisdom we need when we need it, and we needed to compensate for that lack of trust by doing our best — on our own — to defend God. But, again, God doesn’t need defending.
The message of salvation offered by Christ is not for his benefit, or Heaven’s advantage. It’s for us. If we fail to accept this gift, it doesn’t diminish the Lord, but rather dooms ourselves.
So when I see supposed believers lashing out against those of other faiths, or actively wishing harm on those who don’t follow Jesus, I have to ask myself, “Why?” Again, it’s not our job to prove the superiority of Christ’s message; the truth of our own lives should be all the “proof” we need! (If it’s not, then that says more about us than the non-believers.)
This isn’t to say we should avoid all preparation about what our Faith says, or about what our Traditions mean. But that’s required to lay a foundation, so that future uses of those ideas come naturally. We don’t memorize every possible sentence we’re ever going to say in our lives; instead, we rely on those “building blocks” to let us compose sentences on the fly that say what we mean. In the same way, having an understanding of Sacred Scripture, the Faith, and our own lives with Christ provides the building blocks the Spirit will draw upon when we are called to justify or defend our decisions.
But, ultimately, the truth of our lives with Christ doesn’t require any more action than simply living the life. So if you find yourself needing to “defend” the Catholic faith, remember that it doesn’t need defending. It was founded by the most powerful, loving force in the universe; the promises of Christ are guaranteed and true; and the outcome of God and his ultimate plan are not in doubt.
Once you fully understand and realize that, the rest of the pieces fall together, and the Spirit can work through you to provide all the “defense” that God feels is necessary. Then it’s up to the listeners to determine if they want to take advantage of the wonderful opportunity you present; if they don’t, that’s not the fault of yourself or proof of God’s powerlessness, but rather a testament of humanity’s willingness to walk into open elevator shafts despite the warnings and signs plainly presented before them.
Let the Truth and the Spirit provide the action you need when you need it; you have God on your side, and that’s more than enough.
Today’s readings: Dn 5:1-6,13-14,16-17,23-28; DN 3:62,63,64,65,66,67; Lk 21:12-19
