Dear Sisters & Brothers in Christ,
St. Paul, writing to Timothy says, “proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient…” To persist means to hold firmly and steadfastly to a purpose, state, or undertaking despite obstacles, warnings, or setbacks.
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus, Paul, or one of the Scripture authors invites the followers of Jesus to persist in faith, in prayer, and in the way of life that has been handed on to them. So, we are invited to live in a way that is totally formed and guided by Christian thought and ideals.
For much of Christian history, the western world was formed and influenced by such thought and ideals. It was called “Christendom,” where everything in the culture: its underlying self-understanding, behaviors of individuals, societal norms, and even legal systems have been influenced by the truths of the Gospel and by the teaching of Christ’s Church. Even for those who did not believe or go to church, the environment in which they lived was “colored” by the truths revealed by Jesus.
However, that is not the reality we live in anymore. The culture that was founded on Christian principles is quickly dying. We live in a post-Christian era. Even for those who call themselves Christian, they often live a lukewarm Christian life, embracing the values and practices of the secular culture more than the radical life of faith to which Christianity calls believers.
We are living in a new apostolic age; one where secular and non-Christian values thrive and often conflict with the Christian way of life. This new era demands a radical commitment to the truths revealed by Jesus and living in a manner that gives witness to the joy and beauty of the Gospel. It is not a time for lukewarm faith, but for committed witness. It is a time that demands Catholics be persistent in proclaiming the Gospel in both word and deed; in defending Christian values and being active agents in a world that is in dire need of the Good News that Jesus Christ announced.
Now is the time to heed Paul’s call to “proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient…”
Sincerely yours in Christ Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life,
