In today’s selection from the Gospel of John, Jesus informs his disciples that the Holy Spirit will be upon them someday. His disciples wouldn’t have known exactly what he was talking about, but – in retrospect – we understand Christ was giving them insight into the Spirit: “the Spirit of truth . . . will guide you to all truth.”
We see the Spirit in action in today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Here, Paul gives an impassioned speech at the Areopagus, where he bridges Christian theology with Greek thought. It’s a beautiful speech, and even today it appeals to my intellectual side, the side that seeks the universal truth about humanity’s struggle to understand the world and our place in it.
We also gain some insight into how well his words were received: “When they heard about resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, ‘We should like to hear you on this some other time.’ And so Paul left them. But some did join him, and became believers.” (Acts 17:32-34)
What’s interesting about that passage is that it shows – very briefly and genuinely – the gamut of possibilities when trying to proclaim the truth to others. The conversion of hearts is sometimes portrayed dramatically: A nonbeliever hears the right words from a follower of Christ, and – voila! – the nonbeliever believes. And, sure, sometimes it happens exactly that way. But most often there’s a spectrum of reactions when we spread the word to others. Looking at that passage again, we see:
- “Some began to scoff.” Yes, mockery or derision is certainly possible. Paul doesn’t seem to dwell on that here; he just goes on to his next destination, steadfast in his conviction.
- “Others said, ‘We should like to hear you on this some other time.'” Hold that thought a moment.
- “Some did join him, and became believers.” Obviously, this is what we want as Christians, what we’re called to help make happen! And this seems to be our lightning-bolt moment, where the Spirit touches the believer with the words to bring the Truth to nonbelievers.
But look at that middle one again: “We should like to hear you on this some other time.” This is perhaps a more common response than we realize: people who don’t exactly respond with enthusiasm to our words, but who don’t shun us either. This is a larger group than we perhaps give credit for, and we shouldn’t discount them. I suspect some believers (myself included) gently probe to see how someone feels about the Catholic faith, and then stop once we meet some resistance – indifference, uncertainty, or the like. That’s natural, and I certainly don’t advocate obnoxiously proselytizing when someone has expressed their disinterest.
However, we often reach a point where someone we’re talking with hasn’t exactly expressed disinterest, but also hasn’t wholeheartedly committed to coming to the Church. In other words, “We should like to hear you on this some other time.” And that’s okay! Just as it takes time for seeds to grow into plants, so too does it often takes time for our spiritual seeds to grow within nonbelievers.
It’s possible to tend to a garden too much; by watering them when they’re already sated or pruning them when they’re already at the right size, you can kill young plants. In the same way, pushing someone who is unsure about the Church can be a good way to squash their fledgling interest.
Here, then are some simple ideas for how to reach those who are open but not believers.
Continue to live the faith. During the Easter season, casually mention that Easter isn’t one day, but 50 days (from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday). Feel free to mention when you abstain from meat on Fridays . . . and offer an explanation why. If you say prayers before meals, continue to do so – discreetly or without judgment – when you’re in public or among friends of different (or no) faiths.
Make yourself available. There are a lot of misconceptions about the Catholic faith. If you casually mention to nonbelievers that you’re open to any questions, who knows? They might take you up on it someday. I’ve certainly been asked many things by nonbelievers, and my own wife was a patient explainer of the faith back when I didn’t believe. If you hear an acquaintance say something wrong (often about Catholics’ relationship with Mary or the saints), speak up! Don’t be judgmental or mean; just state the truth as correctly but diplomatically as possible. (I try to keep the mindset of dealing with someone who’s gotten my name wrong; I want to correct them on the factual error, but I don’t need to be a jerk about it!)
Listen. If a nonbelieving acquaintance is going through a hard time, listen to them. Jesus spent a fair bit of time listening to those with problems, and so should we. Actively listen by reflecting their troubles back to them. (“I’ve been having a really hard time with my family lately.” “I can tell your family has been causing you pain; is there anything you’d like to talk about?”) Ask if it’s okay if you pray for relief from the problem, if it’s appropriate.
Pray. It’s always appropriate to pray for the Spirit’s wisdom to say the right thing to someone close, or to pray for us all to come closer to Christ. Go ahead and pray for those who scoffed at you, too! It is not our desire to keep the Kingdom of Christ closed to all but a few; we should love the possibility that even the most hardened skeptic can have a softened heart someday.
We will all receive different reactions to our attempts at spreading the word. We should continue to do as Paul did and speak passionately and earnestly the Truth to those who will listen. The Spirit is with us, and with its wondrous gifts, we can do our best to bring others closer to Christ.
