But Christ sent us into the world to preach the gospel and convert sinners, not spread human dignity and human peace. In fact, he said:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”
“Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.”
Why does the Catholic Church need to talk about human dignity and peace? Why not leave that to the UN and the secular humanists whose mission it is? I think that the Catholic Church has a more supernatural mission than this.
Hi, Jack!
Here’s the Great Commission:
19 Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (St. Matthew 28:19)
Jesus did not Command conversion of the world; rather, He Commanded that the Church Teach all nations…
It is said that St. Francis of Assisi taught his followers to Preach, always… and when necessary use words… he saw the importance of bringing the Gospel to the world through Christ or as the Church tells us “in persona Christi.” If the Church is to emulate Christ she must avail herself of all the means necessary… Christ, preached, taught, healed, sanctioned, pleaded, blessed, fed, excised, corrected, remained silent, delegated and sent… He did everything for humanity and for the love of humanity… do you recall the passage where Judas (and some of the others) start murmuring about the waste of an expensive perfume… Judas’ big concern was that it could be sold and given to the poor… that means that in her infancy the Church was already dealing with social events not just the Spiritual development of man.
…as for human dignity, have you ever caught the series on EWTN dealing with dignity (“The Catholic Church Builder of Civilization”)? If you are able to afford it I suggest you buy it–if not, maybe you can contact EWTN and ask them to retelevise the series… without the Catholic Church much of what we understand as human rights and dignity would not have existed (compare the nations where Catholicism is outlawed and the exploitation and oppression of its people vs. Catholic nations (or those that at least retain some semblance of Catholic influence).
You are correct in citing Christ’s peace as being different from the worlds… but you’ve misunderstood Christ’s affirmation of the sword and division: He came not to make things easy for those who want to circumvent God’s Commandments and “choose” their own “path” to God… so there will be division even amongst siblings, spouses, and kin. And while the Church must Evangelize and Preach the Gospel, she cannot exist outside the world:
14 I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world; as I also am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from evil. 16 They are not of the world, as I also am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth. (St. John 17:14-17)
Do you truly think that if the Church removes herself from the world the world would be in a better state? …just check out abortion on demand, homosexuality, and capitalism… the UN espouses itself with the culture of death seeking to subdue (by might and capital) those who refuse to join. Consider the fact that the Church has been, time and again, pushed out of any activity that is beneficial to the oppressed and marginalized because she does not subscribe to the culture of death (abortion, prophylactics, homosexuality…), why is the UN so bent on halting the Church’s aide? The Church cannot exist on a Spiritual plane while humanity suffers on the temporal arena!
Maran atha!
Angel
