“The task is daunting, to go out and preach the Word of God to a hostile world.” -St. Augustine
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Augustine
“I was weeping in the most bitter contrition of my heart, when I heard the voice of children from a neighboring house chanting, 'take up and read; take up and read.' I could not remember ever having heard the like, so checking the torrent of my tears, I arose, interpreting it to be no other than a command from God to open the book and read the first chapter I should find. Eagerly then I returned to the place where I had laid the volume of the apostle. I seized, opened, and in silence read that section on which my eyes first fell: 'Not in revelry and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and lewdness, not in strife and envy; but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.' No further would I read, nor did I need to. For instantly at the end of this sentence, it seemed as if a light of serenity infused into my heart and all the darkness of doubt vanished away.
The task is daunting, to go out and preach the Word of God to a hostile world. That is what the apostles were called to do. That is what we are called to do.” -Augustine, Confessions
Augustine of Hippo had a Christian mother and a pagan father. Growing up he did not embrace the faith of his mother and pursued a career as an orator, something like a combination of a lawyer and a politician coupled with a gift of persuasion. His was a life of reason and intellect, and he thought Christianity was based on superstition and blind faith.. He was so far from the Christian faith of his mother that he fell into Manichaeism, a heresy that offered reason to his intellectual mind.
Augustine's mother, Saint Monica, prayed for him unceasingly and followed him from town to town praying for his salvation. At long last her prayers were heard and Augustine returned to the faith while he was in his thirties.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, Augustine was converted from a life of hedonism and debauchery. As a Christian, he became a priest and then bishop. His contribution to our understanding of the faith has earned him the title of Doctor of the Church, a title shared by only 35 others in the long history of the Church.
The Holy Spirit has been at work a very long time.
The Great Commission
After the Ascension, the apostles hid in the darkness with the doors locked. Wondering what they were to do next. They wondered how they were to fulfill this mission. The Spirit descended upon them and they broke out of their isolation. Rushing into the market square, they spoke openly of God in all the tongues of the world.
We should not huddle in the dark afraid to go out, afraid to expose ourselves to hostility. It doesn’t matter if the congregation, the world, does not like us. It does not even matter if we do not like them.
We are the shepherds, the pastors. It is our job. The flock is in need and we are bearers of the Gospel, the announcers of salvation and forgiveness. We have to go. We have a mission. And we are not without help or resources. The Holy Spirit of God has been given to us to strengthen us and gives us the grace we need to accomplish the work that has been set before us.
There are souls at stake, and we should not be reticent in our efforts to save them.
Penn Jillette, the half of the magician's duo of Penn and Teller that speaks, is an avowed atheist. Nevertheless he respects Christians who live their faith and evangelize. What he does not respect is Christians who profess that faith but keep it to themselves.
In an interview he said, “I’ve always said, I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe there is a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward.
How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate someone to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?”
Jillette offers this example to make his point. “If I believed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe it, that that truck was bearing down on you, there’s a certain point that I tackle you, and this is more important than that.”
If we truly believe that Our Lord has the words of eternal life, how can we not share that Good News? How can sit idly by while our brothers and sisters are dragged to Hell when we might have prevented it by saying something.
We do not have to be priests, bishops, or great Doctors of the Church. We just have to care enough to say something. God will do the rest, but He must have something to work with. Throughout the history of Christianity, God has shown us that He can work miracles with very little.
On that first day, five thousand were baptized into the Kingdom. And at every turn the Holy Spirit continues to surprise and heal and give us courage.
That first day was over two thousand years ago, imagine what we are capable of now.
Christus Resurrexit
Pentecost Sunday
The Resurrection of Christ © Lawrence Klimecki
Pontifex University is an online university offering a Master’s Degree in Sacred Arts. For more information visit the website at www.pontifex.university
Lawrence Klimecki, MSA, is a deacon in the Diocese of Sacramento. He is a public speaker, writer, and artist, reflecting on the intersection of art and faith and the spiritual “hero’s journey” that is part of every person’s life. He maintains a blog at www.DeaconLawrence.org and can be reached at Lawrence@deaconlawrence.com
Lawrence draws on ancient Christian tradition to create new contemporary visions of sacred art. For more information on original art, prints and commissions, Please visit www.DeaconLawrence.org
Purchase fine art prints of Deacon Lawrence’s work here.
