Few books that I have read have had more of an impact on me than God, A Woman and The Way, written in 1954 by Trappist, Rev. M. Raymond, O.C.S.O. Unfortunately, getting copies of this superlative book now is a challenge.
Today, we are quick to blame our bishops and priests for the sorry condition of our world and God's Church. It is true that far too many of them can be justly criticized for not teaching and defending the Truth, for creating ambiguity in the Church's teaching where none existed, and for living lives inconsistent with their call to be alter Christus.
But their failures, however, do not excuse our own. We lay folk far outnumber our ordained and flawed shepherds. As Father Raymond points out, our world would be far different if we lay Catholics had fulfilled our obligation to be true witnesses of Christ.
Let this gifted Trappist set the stage for his observations with these excerpts from Pope Pius XI's Quas Primas:
“if Christ is to reign as King of nations, he must first reign totally as King of individuals…Christ must reign in our minds - which must assent firmly and submissively to all revealed truth and to all Christ's teachings. He must reign in our wills - which should bow in obedience to God's law and precepts. He must reign in our hearts which turning aside from all natural desires should love God above all things and cling to Him alone. He must reign in our bodies and our members which should serve as instruments of our souls’ sanctification.”
Now let Father Raymond's observations penetrate our hearts and souls:
"If each Catholic in these United States acted at all times
as a Catholic should, the impact on Communism [insert the “ism” of your choice - Marxism, socialism, modernism, transgenderism, etc.] in these United States and
all over the world would be very like the impact of the tiny stone David flung
at Goliath. We may be numerically small in comparison with the whole; the “armor
of Saul” most likely will not fit us; but we have the sling and we have the
stones from the brook. Is it that we lack courage?
It takes courage to be a Christian. It takes great courage
to go out and meet Christ when He is on the road to Calvary…It is not easy to
be a follower of Jesus. But it is glory! And if Faith be the central problem of
our day, then faith with fortitude is the only solution. Each of us who has
been baptized is called upon to be a witness to Christ.
Do you know what that means?...A witness is a man whose life
and faith are so completely one that when the challenge comes to step out and
testify for his faith, he does so, disregarding all risks, accepting all
consequences…
[Whittaker] Chambers says a life of faith must be one. That is, the individual must not only have a lively faith but must live his faith. He must believe with his whole being what he professes to believe with his lips. He must say aloud his Credo, not with words, but with every action of his life. He must be a Catholic not only for the hour or so he spends in church on Sunday, but he must be Christ twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, fifty-two weeks of the year..."
Have you been an effective witness of Christ? If not, begin today.
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