Father John J. Lombardi

"What is the effect of confirmation?" I asked a group of confirmation students last week on a retreat. One boy answered, and then others: "To make us soldiers of Christ… To prepare us for battle…To give us spiritual weapons." After being surprised and inspired, I wondered: how many confirmandi and Catholics are prepared to go into the world as "soldiers for Christ" as these bright youth. We sure need 'em today. We have competition.

Item: Two New York Times stories last week reported the rise of Islam in our backyard. In Hamtrack, Michigan, a local Islamic mosque made a request to broadcast their call to worship. The article quotes a born-again Christian, Joanne Gola: "I don't want to be told that Allah is the true and only God five times a day, 365 days a year. It's against my constitutional rights to have to listen to another religion evangelizing in my ear." Item: Another Time's story reported of a radical form of Islam infiltrating some jails, and "found Muslim contractors and volunteers have ample opportunity 'to deliver inappropriate and extremist messages,'' which could lead to terrorist recruitment. One spokesman said: 'The presence of extremist chaplains, contractors or volunteers…can pose a threat to institutional security and could implicate national security if inmates are encouraged to commit terrorist acts….(some)use prisons to radicalize inmates and recruit operatives in the United States. Item: Islamicist influences in Spain, France and Germany, are populating these countries and challenging the Catholic, Christian culture, forming significant minority populations. Item: France's National Assembly recently debated pervasive presence and validity of Islamic head-scarfs in public life. Let's admit it- even though it's difficult to admit: given such facts, some parts of Islamic religion are assertive, and these are inculturating fast upon many Western countries. Let's also admit it: Jesus died for Muslims, too-and all peoples (cf. Jn 3:16; Rm 3:23). So: How do we reconcile these two facts, especially in a complex culture and Church?

As many Muslims around the world are dedicated to evangelizing and enculturation (changing a culture into their own), so should Catholics and Christians embody the same zeal for souls and transformation of culture. We used to have zeal, but either lost it or gave it way. Problem: we Catholics aren't evangelizing enough- as soldiers for Christ, like those youthful confirmandi. Why? Some Catholics today are numbed: many have accommodated to Mammon and materialism and are spiritually lukewarm. Jesus warns: "I wish you were hot or cold" (Rev. 3:15). Some are paralyzed-by relativism, which sees any non-Christian religion perfect as is (without Christ), or to be welcomed into the "salad-bowl spirituality" of Americana. Besides, we are told, we shouldn't push our Faith upon others. Then there's false ecumenism- recognizing other religion's good points while denying need for evangelize them. St Paul counsels against these latter tendencies while proclaiming Jesus: "There is no salvation thru anyone else" (Acts4:12). So, Realize: We can both respect any religion and also evangelize them. That's what Vatican II essentially counseled: Each religion reflects rays of truth in their own way, though not totally, and…"Yet she (the Catholic Church) proclaims and is in duty bound to proclaim without fail, Christ who is the Way, Truth and the life (Jn. 14:6), in Him men find the fullness of religious life". Do you want to deny anyone fulfillment of religious life?

We Catholics need to proclaim a "radical middle"-to recognize rays of truth in others, in Islam, but also bring Christ to those we meet. How can we do that, and overcome all obstacles?

There is debate today on whether Islam is a peaceful religion or, if it desires submission of non-Muslims by jihad (holy wars), while viewing others as infidels; or is it only some members of Islam who are hijacking and radicalizing it. While there is evidence in history of a striking militancy in the life of the prophet Muhammad himself, founder of Islam, and in the Koran (their "Bible"), and other literature--we do not know how deeply and widely this tendency is currently. Today, though, just as in the "call to worship" incident above, some Muslims are increasingly assertive in evangelizing and inculturating our Western world. We have seen this from Mecca to Michigan. What is our response-as Catholics? It is the un-talked topic which needs discussion.

Discussing the above topic in moderate fashion, MaxRudenbeck, in the liberalist The New York Review of Books (3-29-04), describes various strains of Islam-from moderate to extreme, and how difficult they are to characterize. He then describes one prominent movement: "In general the centrist-fundamentalist side of reform has less to do with stripping down religious doctrine, or overthrowing governments, than with superimposing 'Islamicist' forms upon existing structures…It is these groups that speak of 'Islamizing' economics, governance, education, culture…"

Europe-largely secularized today-- is basically allowing Islamic evangelization in two ways: 1) thru a so-called illegitimate "diversity" of cultures, which water down our Lord's Catholic Unity, and the ensuing lack and of discernment and discussion of this. The groundwork for this was the Relativism from the European Enlightenment, the effects of which manifest today; 2) Re-population by a low-to-nihil re-placement birthrate of Catholics and Christians, due to contraception, socialism and materialism, which insidiously contribute to the demise of the spiritual culture and civilization. Most facets of Islam are direct opposite to these twin, tenacious tendencies.

There is in our country a danger of religious "catch-22": if one makes these observations, about the spread and assertion of Islam, they are seen as close-minded, xenophobic (fearful about different cultures), or even un-American. After all, un-nuanced multi-culturalism is almost a religion here. Oppositely: if repression of the problems reign, then some Catholic cultures will be lost and rational dialogue about militant strains of Islam (jihadists, etc) will take a toll. The Philippines are an example of this. Africa, in the Sudan, with an extremist Islamic government oppressing the Catholic minority, and Nigerian Islamicists imposing forceful shariah laws there, illustrate worldwide, growing problems.

In meeting the general evangelizing mission of Islam today-from jail cells to Middle America: how will Catholicism recognize the issues and then respond? Are we convicted that Christ is Lord and should be brought to all peoples and cultures? Or are we overwhelmed, beleaguered by unbelief? Charles Murray in his book, "In Pursuit of Excellence, said that excellent inventions, art and scientific-philosophical advances were the result of great civilization matrixes, which both inspired and supported such magnificence. The Shakespeare-Dante's-Galileo's were largely the result of Western, and Christian cultures. Ergo: can we, today, re- re-stimulate these fertilizing cultures for a new renaissance? -

Progressivist-liberalist structures cannot solve or help the dissolution of the Catholic-Christian West: they're too relativist. They see diversity-at-any-cost as dogma; and are sometimes anti-Christian. In this fantastical time, we need zealous Catholics and Christians-like those confirmandi-to re-mission, convert and Christianize. It's up to the orthodox West & evangelizing Church.

We all need to promote a "rational radical middle"-as Vatican II and Pope John Paul II imply-- between the extremes of relativism and dogmatism. This means recognizing both the legitimacy of diversity and the presence of defects in other cultures, religions; that we find seeds of truth where they lie, and also bring Christ to anyone who will listen. What else do we need today?

Boldness-first in really believing, and then preaching peacefully, the authentic Gospel: that Christ lived and died for all: "I came that you might have life, life abundant" (Jn 10:10). The Acts of the Apostles recounts many missionary journeys of Saint Paul and others to spread the word of Jesus in varied cultures-even in synagogues and pagan places. These saints certainly recognized diversity, but also the Divine Mandate to preach Christ. Do you?

Love-Jesus says: "Love one another as I love you" (Jn.13:33). He laid down His life for us-He died for us, for all peoples. He wants all to come to Him (Mt.11:28). Do you love all, so much so you want them to come to Jesus? We invite all to the Faith, we don't impose. Let us not be shy, then! Our Lady, Help of Christians, pray for Us!

Briefly Noted

Poem on the Blessed Virgin Mary: "Their magnifying of each its kind/ With delight calls to mind/ How she did in her stored/ Magnify the Lord. Well but there was more than this/: Spring's universal bliss. Much, had much to say, / To offering Mary May." (Gerard Manley Hopkins)

Prayer Meditation: "Anyone who is joined to the Lord is one sprit with Him" (I Cor. 6:17). May the expanses of sacred desire within, into the infinite clearing, light and love of the Eternal Trinity, Who is boundless horizon of Bliss, though continually enticing, captivate you in His Divine Union. He is, though, this Divine Mystery, receding, escaping interminably. May your soul hearken to fulfillment: by dying, liberating, rising within Him.

Bible Readings: Acts 14:21-27; Rv 21:1-5; Jn 13:31-35. "It is necessary to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of heaven" (Acts 14: 22)….Today, suffering is out, comfortable Christianity is in…We Catholics can suffer and be spiritually sandpapered to new life. Will you?... "Then I (St John) saw a new Heaven and new earth…There shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain; the old order has passed away" (Rv21:1, 4). Because of St John's graced perception he saw a divine vision. How can we be graced to truly see? Recently, a drug addict spoke of how he could hear the birds sing and see the colors of Spring flowers because of he was "clean"-drug free. He was graced to see and hear more. We all need such liberation to tap into God's reality. Perceptions and consciousness are often determined, negatively, by our attachments, and positively, by our holiness. "Love one another" (Jn. 13:33). We've heard this so often we're in danger of a spiritual fog around and lukewarmness toward it. Key: notice that Jesus says: "as I have loved you". Are you loving as He loves? Are you loving-heroically-"thru Him, with Him and in Him"-- as we pray in the Mass? Sacrificial love must be learned and imprinted within our hardened hearts to become supernaturally second-nature. This is the stuff of the saints. Heroically loving thoughts, words, deeds-are the Way to transform spiritual consciousness and imitate the Master. Thoughts: attune to the Divine Mind (cf. Phil 2:5, I Cor. 2:16-"We have the mind of Christ"). Deeds: like St Bernadette, become a Victim Soul -a Christly receiver of others' ills-to co-redeem the world (Cf. Gal. 1:21). Words: one of the most common, cunning sins is gossip. It is one of the worst sins, though most overlooked. It seems: everyone does it, yet few learn from it. There are three responses: silence; walking away; or direct loving confrontation: wherein we call people to holiness, accountability. St Paul counsels: "Never let evil talk pass your lips-say the things people really need to hear" (Eph.4:29).

Compromise? Senator Santorum and President Bush chose to support pro-abortion Sen. Arlen Spector, who is also for stem cell research-both against Catholic teaching. When it comes to protecting children-there should be no compromises, not even political ones. "We must obey God, not men" (Acts)