Is there anything more important than working for conversions?

[fakename]

For instance, punishing wrong-doers for the common good doesn’t convert them, it protects the common good. In that instance the common good would be greater than conversions. So is there a time for not worrying about converting people? I ask because there are some actions that are good that could prejudice people against converting but I doubt that they would not be doable for this reason.

 

[Bunker_Man]

Working for conversions who themselves will also work for conversions.

Ziiing.

 

[PatrickSebast]

What is important is working in the manner in which you are called. Some are called to evangelize and some are not. For a parish priest the task of administering sacraments, serving the faithful, strengthening his flock, and trying to build saints is very important and depending on the amount of responsibilities he has (Some priests must serve multiple parishes or teach classes a high school or universities for instance) there may be very few opportunities to evangelize. Some monks and nuns are cloistered and spend most of their time using their gifts of prayer to serve others, and some people just have legitimate social problems which makes them poor at evangelizing. To say evangelism is the most important task belittles all the good that is done by those who do not have a gift for evangelism.

 

[Earnest_Bunbury]

The primary concern should be ones own conversion. Luke 13:[23] And a certain man said to him: Lord, are they few that are saved? But he said to them: [24] Strive to enter by the narrow gate; for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter, and shall not be able.

 

[fakename]

This also goes to the question of what it means to judge or not judge someone. If we are to convert people we must know who is good or bad in order to convert them no?

And if we know who is bad or good we are judging them so we must judge to convert -or am I wrong?

Yet we shouldn’t judge people so how do we convert them? Plus the word “convert” is a little muddy for me. Doesn’t it mean something broad like “turn back towards”? If that is the case then any example-setting could convert people since it is a common idea that role-modeling (being examples) works as does actions which supposedly speak louder than words.

Is conversion simply a ubiquitous fact of life so that it can’t be prioritized since it will always occur no matter what, or is it something more discrete?

But in any case I suppose from what was written above that there are times when one can drop the converting and go on to something more important?

Any more answers?

 

[Charlemagne_II]

Hardly anything is more important than working for conversions as long as we begin by converting ourselves.

 

[davidv]

This also goes to the question of what it means to judge or not judge someone. If we are to convert people we must know who is good or bad in order to convert them no?

And if we know who is bad or good we are judging them so we must judge to convert -or am I wrong?

Yet we shouldn’t judge people so how do we convert them? Plus the word “convert” is a little muddy for me. Doesn’t it mean something broad like “turn back towards”? If that is the case then any example-setting could convert people since it is a common idea that role-modeling (being examples) works as does actions which supposedly speak louder than words.

Is conversion simply a ubiquitous fact of life so that it can’t be prioritized since it will always occur no matter what, or is it something more discrete?

But in any case I suppose from what was written above that there are times when one can drop the converting and go on to something more important?

Any more answers?

Ponder this from the Catechism regarding judgement.

1861 Mortal sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself. It results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. If it is not redeemed by repentance and God’s forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ’s kingdom and the eternal death of hell, for our freedom has the power to make choices for ever, with no turning back. However, although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.

To me this means we must judge the morality of our acts, and those of our neighbors, if we are to grow in holiness and assist in the conversion of others.

 

[fakename]

So then what does “don’t judge people” mean? Does it mean judge a person’s acts regardless of the person’s intentions, circumstances, etc.? That is, judge what is observable/external?

by the way the original question is still open for any more answers.