Evangelization Myths (5 of 7)

Eric Sammons has authored a new book “The Old Evangelization: How to Spread the Faith Like Jesus Did” and cites 7 common myths that deter Catholics from evangelizing. 

The fifth myth is: To attract people we must be nice, and careful not to offend.

Eric writes:

… the underlying thought is that we must avoid proclaiming any “hard teachings” that might offend people… [However,] what initially attracted me to Catholicism was its strong teaching against abortion. I understood that a Church which stayed true to even its hardest teachings in the face of cultural opposition was less likely to be simply a human institution. In other words, the “hard teachings” attracted me.

My take is slightly different. It is essential to not fear that some will find Christ’s teachings hard to take.  But don’t start there.

Consider, the original hard teaching: Jesus on eating his flesh (John 6:52-56). It is disciples of Jesus that have a hard time here.  In other words, Jesus did not challenge them at the outset.  As disciples, they have already gotten to know him before hearing his teaching on the Eucharist.  Furthermore, Peter and the other apostles receive this “hard saying” not because they thoroughly grasped it, but because they valued their relationship with him; saying not “I get this” but “Where else are we to go?” 

To effectively evangelize, get folks thinking about their relationship with God and why they should have one.  Then when they hear the hard teachings, they are more likely to embrace them as “the words of eternal life.”

Question regarding the Holy Spirit

Ken - I have a question. Jesus said He would send the Spirit to be with the apostles (and us). This happened at Pentecost, and I have known the Spirit to be active in my life.  My question is:  Was the Holy Spirit not a presence previously in the Old Testament in the lives of men?

In its definition of Holy Spirit, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

…the Holy Spirit is at work with the Father and the Son from the beginning to the completion of the divine plan for our salvation. (2nd Ed., p. 882).

“from the beginning” is underlined emphasizing that the Holy Spirit was “a presence” even in the Old Testament.

Only three Old OT texts specifically call out “the Holy Spirit”:

(1) Ps 51:11: “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me”;

(2) Isa 63:10: “Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them”; and

(3) Isa 63:11: “Then his people recalled the days of old, the days of Moses and his people—where is he who brought them through the sea, with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among them?”

In other cases, the Holy Spirit is referred to as “the Spirit of the Lord” or “the Spirit of God.”

… behold, a band of prophets met him; and the spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he prophesied among them. (1 Samuel 10:10).

But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord... (Micah 3:8).

In addition, the OT authors did not have the understanding of the Holy Spirit - or even the Trinity - that Christ would convey to the apostles, and that the Church Fathers would further come to understand after pondering Christ’s words.  As John records Jesus saying, "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." (Jn 14:26). 

While the OT authors may not specifically reference the “Holy Spirit,” with Jesus’ revelation we can now read the OT with the perspective that the Holy Spirit was indeed a presence.

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Evangelization Myths (4 of 7)

Eric Sammons has 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 fourth myth is: We Don’t Have to Talk About Our Faith; Living It is Enough

“Preach the Gospel always; when necessary, use words.” Eric says this is the most misused quote in Catholicism commonly attributed to St. Francis.

Eric writes:

A few problems with this quote... First, there is no evidence that St. Francis said it. It wasn’t attributed to him until hundreds of years after his death, and it flies in the face of the historical record of his life. St. Francis spent most of his life preaching the Gospel (in words) wherever he went. This is the man who preached to birds when people wouldn’t listen, so yes, he seemed to think words were pretty important.

The more significant problem with the myth is that it’s often used to excuse our hesitation in spreading the Faith to others. We’re afraid that if we tell others about Jesus and his Church, they will mock or reject us. So we just tell ourselves that our actions are all that matter. Somehow our “lifestyle” will magically make converts.

St. Paul says, “how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?” (Rom 10:14). As Eric says: “So let’s get talking.”  Or better yet, let’s start asking the right questions.