Iâm in the wilds of the Pacific NW where Catholicism is under constant attack. My husband and I decided the best thing we can do is be shining examples of Catholicism. That is: we go to Mass at every opportunity, but we donât close ourselves off from Protestant activities in the community.
Our rule is, if at one of these activities and we are asked something directly, we respond. BUT, and this is the hard part, if Clarification of Catholic beliefs is not requested, we respect that we are at someone elseâs venue and bite our tongues. We do, however bring that information back to the Catholic parents of the children that attend these functions too so that they can be properly catechized.
Try to see these attacks as opportunities for you to grow closer to the Holy Spirit in asking HIS advice in how to handle these confrontations. Remember, often it is through His urgings that the ugliness inside others is brought to the surface to have the light of Christâs truth shone on it.
For example, just recently, I had a young woman tell me she thought Mary was invented by the Devil to come between us and Christ. Thanks to God, I was able to cite scripture and appeal to logic with her for well over an hour. It all just poured into me and came out my mouth.
I used to hate confrontation but now I love it because I know that the Helper Jesus sent is using me to reach out to others.
Pray for discernment and wisdom, and donât feel bad about walking away. ALWAYS treat others with love, even when it is hate coming at you. The seed analogy is so true.
Get some good books on apologetics.
Learn your Church history.
Know your bible REALLY well. Usually you are dealing with people that have read the bible but, alas, thanks to the idea of self-interpretation, they have no clue what Godâs Word really means. So when I say: know your bible I donât mean memorize it, thatâs good, but whatâs MORE helpful is to know the context of the passages that might be used against you. Know when the book were written, their sources, what was going on at that time, *why *they were written.
Check out the early Church Fathers and especially the Didache. Youâll see that Tradition predates the Bible in the earliest Christians. It is clear that, just as Christ promised, hell has not prevailed against his Church and that Church has to be the Catholic Church.
Oh⌠but back to your original question. Read Proverbs. There is a lot in there about wisdom and fools. Realize that in most cases you are talking to someone who has been lead astray from birth. What you think of as simple factual correction and easy-to-follow logic; is actually Earth-shattering paradigm-shifting stuff that not only attacks the core of the listenerâs foundations, but likely their parentsâ and Grandparentsâ beliefs, going back for who knows how many generations now. Thatâs asking a lot of someone in one sitting. Right?
Be kind, be gentle, be **firm **but pray the whole time you are discussing things and try not to take things personally.
May God guide you and help you in your efforts. Let Him help you find that room of âmere Christianityâ that you can start from. May He help others see the sincerity and truth in your words, even if not at first. May He help you find peace when your words seem to fall on deaf ears. May He give you the fortitude and strength to stand firm under onslaughts of words and actions that are derived to keep you from doing His good work. May He open your heart and mind to hear the words of others and the discernment to recognize their source (e.g. Satan, Avarice, Malice, or just plain old Ignorance). May God protect you from the powers and principalities that would pit themselves against you.
May God bless you in all ways in your ministry of apologetics. â In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
