“… the task of
evangelizing all people constitutes the essential mission of the Church. It is
a task and mission which the vast and profound changes of present-day society
make all the more urgent.” Written by Pope Paul VI in Evangelli Nuntiandi (Evangelization in the Modern World) in 1975, his letter
is still as fresh as the coffee in my cup.
Sadly, we Catholics, are apparently the worst at evangelizing
– encouraging others to consider Jesus’ offer of friendship. According to the Pew Research Center,
Catholics are the least likely believer to share their faith. An atheist is more
likely to share his or her views than a Catholic.
Eric Sammons authored a new
book “The Old Evangelization: How to
Spread the Faith Like Jesus Did” and he cites 7 common myths that
deter Catholics from evangelizing. The
first of these is: Evangelization is Unnecessary Because Everyone is Going to
Heaven
A common belief among many Catholics today is that
most people, - Hitler, and Bashir Al Assad may
be exceptions - are going to heaven. If that is my understanding, then why would
I go to the trouble of trying to get someone to become Catholic?
Yet that is definitely not a Catholic understanding: “[T]he
Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death
the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where
they suffer the punishments of hell, ‘eternal fire’” (CCC 1035).
Here’s
one of many examples of Christ’s clear teaching on the matter: In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is asked, "Lord,
will those who are saved be few?" He replies, "Strive to enter by the
narrow door; for many, I tell you,
will seek to enter and will not be able" (Luke 13:23–24). (Emphasis
added).
In Christ, Ken.
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