“Evil draws its power from indecision and concern for what other people think.”
―Pope Benedict XVI
The fear of peoples’ opinions can be deadly. It can lead to willing ignorance of the Gospel, and unwillingness to spread it.
Let me tell you the truth: Ignorance is not bliss. Closing your eyes won’t free you from responsibilities regarding the state of our world. People are happy to see you shut your mouth and cover your ears, so they can keep laughing and pushing you around. It’s convenient to them: A soldier who won’t fight. A speaker who won’t speak. A Christian who would prefer to wait on the sidelines, while other people speak for him.
Now is not the age to keep silent about love, truth, and morality.
There has never been an age of conformity. Think of all the evil you unleash in this world by hiding away Truth. Don’t put it away for the sake of your own comfort–like a lion, the Truth will eventually get out and have his moment of glory. That moment will hurt! You may think keeping silent about certain matters will make life easier, but eventually Truth will catch up to you. It’s temporary peace, like that “peace” that comes after an abortion. Sooner or later it’ll end and bring on regrets. The difference here is that with Truth, you can repent and take up your sword again. You have a second chance.
Pope Benedict XVI has encouraged young people to speak up—stating it quite explicitly in the back of the YOUCAT: “You need to be more deeply rooted in the faith than the generation of your parents…” It’s not a light thing to be ignorant about. Someday the atheists will run out of silly excuses to dodge God, and every bone in their body will be broken; they’ll need faith to stand up again. It’s our duty to help them back up by witnessing to them. How can we, if we don’t know what we believe?
The future of our whole entire world rests on us. You may not see how your voice can change a thing. One candle is enough to shatter the darkness in a room with no light, and that one candle is what all the lost sheep will flock to. Today, as our beloved Pope says farewell—leaving behind a legacy of devoted servitude, several books, and the YOUCAT—I pray that more young Catholics will realize how powerful their light is. When life is hard we feel lost, so how could we possibly light the way for another person? Turn to Jesus. If you look Him in the eye and ask for help, admit you’re not worthy and ask for His aid, the light from His own glory will reflect on you.
It’s not an easy burden to bear, and it never will be. The Christian life was never easy; people who make it appear so are lying for their own convenience. Many true Christians will cry more in their lifetime—whether inside or out—than most atheists. We each have a Cross much like the one of Christ, and in accepting Him into our hearts, we’ve agreed to carry that Cross till we’re called home. Even if in weak moments we claim to no longer believe, something in our hearts will itch to pick it back up. Once we are consumed by that divine light, there is no easy escape.
- by Mariella Hunt
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