Baptizing the Culture

As Christians, we are asked to detach ourselves from secular culture, but still, we are also commanded to evangelize (Matthew 28:19-20) and immerse it in a sort of “baptism”. Here are five steps to doing this:

Catholic, derived from both Latin and Greek, means universal, and so we must apply the term in order to be with the Church. We should strive to mimic God’s omnipresence, to the best of our ability. Attend events at which you can enhance the Church’s influence.

If you are a holder of the Faith, make this fact obvious. There should be no doubt as to where your loyalties are. For example, I enforce a habit of wearing a patch of the flag of the Holy See on my jacket. It’s an excellent conversation-starter, and it serves as a reminder to yourself and others that you are to be a good representative of the Church.

Make your voice heard. Of course, be polite and remain approachable, but do not be afraid to express doctrines or correct the record. This trait will ensure that the message of the Church is communicated.

Charity and generosity are advised throughout Scripture (Proverbs 11:25, Matthew 10:42, 1 Timothy 6:17-19). If we apply these instructions to our lives, then not only will we have stored treasures in Heaven, but in addition, our words will be taken more seriously. Pope Francis understands this. Only so far in his pontificate, he has already made numerous gestures that have paid off in the form of good will from around the world. His servitude has inspired many to come back to the pews. Follow his example.

Everything else on this list pales in comparison to this final point. We are called to be holy, as God is holy (1 Peter 1:14-16). If people think of us as hypocrites, they will reject us, even if they like our message. This fact was of great concern to Christ, the Apostles, and the Church Fathers, who frequently urged the faithful to avoid scandal (Matthew 18:6, Romans 14:21, Summa Theologiæ [Part II, SP, Q. 43]).

Pope Francis wrote on Twitter: “If we live the faith in our daily life, then our work too becomes a chance to spread the joy of being a Christian.” Be these five things, and your work will not be in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Make sure to join me for a Live Chat with Shaun McAfee on Thursday, January 30 @ 8 PM Eastern time / 7 PM Central time. It should be interesting.

As Christians, we are asked to detach ourselves from secular culture, but still, we are also commanded to evangelize (Matthew 28:19-20) and immerse it in a sort of “baptism”. Here are five steps to doing this....

They may call themselves Catholics, and they may even go to Mass, but when it comes to life choices they are virtually indistinguishable from everyone else in America. They don’t live radical Christianity out in any real sort of way. Their lives look just like the lives of their worldly neighbors. They don’t give any more than the average joe. They seem just as likely to divorce their spouses, have only 2.5 children as their non Catholic neighbors and they seem just as materialistic as everyone else. They attend church if they feel like it, but if there’s a weekend football game or the call of the beach house they’re just as likely to respond to that demand. When it comes to voting, they’ll vote as they wish according to wherever they get their opinions from–TV, the newspaper, the mass media–just like their neighbors. The one source they won’t consider when informing their vote is their priests and bishops.
— from the thread Catholic Vote?
Are Catholics now so “successfully” assimilated into American political life that they are without political impact—that there really is no such thing as a “Catholic vote”? Unfortunately enough, Catholics are largely indistinguishable from non-Catholics and, despite a few pundits, no, there really is no “Catholic vote.” This obvious conclusion—clear enough from the fact that the vote for the winning candidates in the last national election was approximately the same for Catholics and non-Catholics—has serious current implications....
....Compare two lists: According to the USCCB, the five most Catholic states, in population, are: Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. According to the American Life League, the states with the most pro-life legislation (i.e., inhibiting abortion in various ways) are: Oklahoma, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Arkansas and Texas. This is a shocker. In short, there is no Catholic political impact in support of life in those states reportedly having the most Catholics. As Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia put it, after the 2008 election, “[w]e need to stop overcounting our numbers, our influence, our institutions, and our resources, because they are not real.”
— from the thread The Mythical Catholic Vote: The Harmful Consequences of Political Assimilation

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