Paul comes immediately to mind -- followed by each of us to some degree, if we are honest. In almost every endeavor, radical converts often make the most ardent and effective advocates. When one becomes convinced of his error, he sees things more acutely than others who might never have questioned the truth. The ability to believe is a gift from God. Pray for the scoffers, indeed.
There is a very significant difference in fools like Matthews and Paul. Paul was a scoffer because he was zealous to defend the Jewish faith. Matthews is a scoffer out of putrefacted pride which has destroyed his soul from the inside out. Jesus could work with Paul because his zeal was not based in pride for himself. I doubt even Jesus could work with Matthews since he is so eaten up with self-righteous progressivism pride. Outer darkness is already reserved for the Chris Matthews hyopcrits of this world ... the scumbucket claims to be a Catholic don’tchaknow. It reminds me of those ‘I’m a Mormon’ ads, we know the lying scum named Milt Romney is also ‘a Mormon’.