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NPC
Guest
I don’t really know where a story like this is supposed to go, as it encompasses evangelisation, apologetics, and a question which is neither!!..
I just want to share this (not terribly exciting) story of my first meeting with an Evangelical Christian (and my response!) which happened last monday…well, that’s not strictly true as I already know many non-Catholic Christians, but it was the first time that someone came up and asked that question: “If you died today, can you be sure you’d go to Heaven?”…
I was waiting at the bus stop when a lady came up beside me - she frequently gets the same bus as I - she began by talking about the weather, a standard Irish conversation. Then she informed me that she had been glued to the television because of this ‘revival’ and ‘healing’ which is supposedly happening in Florida. She was evidently greatly excited and encouraged by this, but I didn’t show the same enthusiasm. Incidentally, I would like to hear your thoughts on these going’s-on in Florida because I had not heard anything about it until this lady spoke to me…
She then invited me to sit with her on the bus so she could tell me more and I agreed. Having spoken a bit more about Florida she asked me about my faith in Christ. Then came the question about salvation and I told her that I couldn’t be sure that I’d go straight to Heaven if I was to die at that moment… I think she was quite surprised to hear this and even more so when I told her the Catholic teaching on the matter…so that’s when she knew for certain I am a Catholic!! Then came the Biblical quotation from her and while I made my firm belief known, I also told her that I didn’t wish to carry that topic any further. I had certainly been caught off-guard - I think in Ireland we almost take it for granted that nearly everyone is Catholic (although that’s really not the case these days)! She left that topic, and said that on the TV channel she was watching, viewers had been encouraged to tell one person about what was going on in Florida… So, lucky me, I was the person she chose. She said she didn’t know why she chose me, so she believed that I was just meant to hear the amazing story. So she said ‘now maybe I’ve planted a seed there, and see what happens’.
Continuing with her exciting story, she told of how a girl was miraculously healed and then began to prophesy. Showing my scepticism, I asked how they knew that she was prophesying - I was quite amazed at her willingness to accept all these stories when some non-Catholics are so quick to judge things such as St Pio’s stigmata as being from the Devil! The girl ‘prophesied’ that all people would repent and (re)turn to God - I don’t know if this is actually prophesy since biblical passages such as ‘every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord’ spring to mind! The lady said that there will be repentance for abortion, divorce, and that the Catholic Church will repent too. I questioned her on this, and pointed out that it was rather members of the Catholic Church who had sinned (reference to abuse mainly, I suspect) rather than the Church itself… She was rather speechless when I gave that perspective, but then told me that she was raised a Catholic and that she believed that it was the Catholic Church that Christ had founded. However, she said that the Church had changed so much, but she also said that she would return in a flash if it (in my own words) became recognisable as the original Church.
At this point my stop was approaching, and she once more encouraged me to get that TV channel and keep an eye on Florida… So I decided that in the few seconds I had left I too would ‘plant a seed’ - I assured her that I have frequently questioned my faith, but when I search for answers, I am always led to the Catholic Church. I told her that if she really would come back to the Church in a flash as she had said, that I would recommend some books which would dispel several anti-Catholic myths - Mr Karl Keating specifically got a mention! She actually seemed genuinely interested and perhaps rather taken aback that a 24 year old is so sure about his faith, especially in the current climate in Ireland.
So, I disembarked the bus much happier than I had been when I failed to answer the famous salvation question! I’m still no wiser about Florida - I’m taking it with the proverbial pinch of salt - but would love to hear what you think… No doubt I’ll meet her again - I hope I do - I know conversions happen slowly, but hopefully the planted seed will bear fruit…And for myself, I’ve gotten something out of it too - motivation to delve further into my Apologetics study!
I just want to share this (not terribly exciting) story of my first meeting with an Evangelical Christian (and my response!) which happened last monday…well, that’s not strictly true as I already know many non-Catholic Christians, but it was the first time that someone came up and asked that question: “If you died today, can you be sure you’d go to Heaven?”…
I was waiting at the bus stop when a lady came up beside me - she frequently gets the same bus as I - she began by talking about the weather, a standard Irish conversation. Then she informed me that she had been glued to the television because of this ‘revival’ and ‘healing’ which is supposedly happening in Florida. She was evidently greatly excited and encouraged by this, but I didn’t show the same enthusiasm. Incidentally, I would like to hear your thoughts on these going’s-on in Florida because I had not heard anything about it until this lady spoke to me…
She then invited me to sit with her on the bus so she could tell me more and I agreed. Having spoken a bit more about Florida she asked me about my faith in Christ. Then came the question about salvation and I told her that I couldn’t be sure that I’d go straight to Heaven if I was to die at that moment… I think she was quite surprised to hear this and even more so when I told her the Catholic teaching on the matter…so that’s when she knew for certain I am a Catholic!! Then came the Biblical quotation from her and while I made my firm belief known, I also told her that I didn’t wish to carry that topic any further. I had certainly been caught off-guard - I think in Ireland we almost take it for granted that nearly everyone is Catholic (although that’s really not the case these days)! She left that topic, and said that on the TV channel she was watching, viewers had been encouraged to tell one person about what was going on in Florida… So, lucky me, I was the person she chose. She said she didn’t know why she chose me, so she believed that I was just meant to hear the amazing story. So she said ‘now maybe I’ve planted a seed there, and see what happens’.
Continuing with her exciting story, she told of how a girl was miraculously healed and then began to prophesy. Showing my scepticism, I asked how they knew that she was prophesying - I was quite amazed at her willingness to accept all these stories when some non-Catholics are so quick to judge things such as St Pio’s stigmata as being from the Devil! The girl ‘prophesied’ that all people would repent and (re)turn to God - I don’t know if this is actually prophesy since biblical passages such as ‘every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord’ spring to mind! The lady said that there will be repentance for abortion, divorce, and that the Catholic Church will repent too. I questioned her on this, and pointed out that it was rather members of the Catholic Church who had sinned (reference to abuse mainly, I suspect) rather than the Church itself… She was rather speechless when I gave that perspective, but then told me that she was raised a Catholic and that she believed that it was the Catholic Church that Christ had founded. However, she said that the Church had changed so much, but she also said that she would return in a flash if it (in my own words) became recognisable as the original Church.
At this point my stop was approaching, and she once more encouraged me to get that TV channel and keep an eye on Florida… So I decided that in the few seconds I had left I too would ‘plant a seed’ - I assured her that I have frequently questioned my faith, but when I search for answers, I am always led to the Catholic Church. I told her that if she really would come back to the Church in a flash as she had said, that I would recommend some books which would dispel several anti-Catholic myths - Mr Karl Keating specifically got a mention! She actually seemed genuinely interested and perhaps rather taken aback that a 24 year old is so sure about his faith, especially in the current climate in Ireland.
So, I disembarked the bus much happier than I had been when I failed to answer the famous salvation question! I’m still no wiser about Florida - I’m taking it with the proverbial pinch of salt - but would love to hear what you think… No doubt I’ll meet her again - I hope I do - I know conversions happen slowly, but hopefully the planted seed will bear fruit…And for myself, I’ve gotten something out of it too - motivation to delve further into my Apologetics study!
