To be a Christian is not always something which is easy to profess when we are outside of the walls of this church. Nevertheless, it is important that we profess our faith when we are outside of these hallowed walls. As Saint Josemaria Escriva put it: “It is terrible how much harm we can do if we allow ourselves to be carried away by the fear or the shame of being seen as Christians in ordinary life.”
Where would we be as a Church if the apostles allowed this fear and shame to consume them? We know that the apostles except for Saint John received a martyrs reward. They did not receive this award because they lived in fear of proclaiming and loving the truth, but because they embraced their faith in Christ and were willing to live it out no matter what would happen to them for doing so.
Hopefully none of us have been led to believe that being a Christian is easy. In our Gospel Christ shows that leading others towards an encounter with truth did not even come easily for Him. Here we are told of how He was filled with compassion for healing the afflicted and yet He was judged by others for His actions. Even in the Gospel of Saint John we are told during the Bread of Life discourse: “After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him.” We should also be aware of the cross where He came to be crucified in order to bring about our salvation.
In a society which rejects Christian morals and teachings it can be difficult to be a voice of reason. In these circumstances we must remember that we are to live out a spirit of charity and prudence and to never give an inch of compromise concerning the faith. Through charity we respond out of love and compassion for the good of another. Through prudence we act with what is proper in the given situation. Most of all we must be people of prayer who live lives which profess the virtues of our faith. If our actions counteract our faith we will lead people into scandal and lead them towards sin.
This daunting task that has been entrusted to us is one which is possible. We must heed back to the Sacrament of Confirmation and the graces which were received. Through the Sacrament of Confirmation the Holy Spirit comes upon us as a strong driving wind as it also came upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church we are told concerning this sacrament: “by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed."
As we depart from here may we present ourself as Christians in all that we do. This does not mean that we are to be self righteous, but humble of heart. For this some may criticize us, but this is a small cross to bare compared to that of the martyrs. Let us depart from here and never be carried away by the fear or shame of being seen as Christian in ordinary life.
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