For the past few months, I’ve noticed that someone I care about over on my personal Facebook account has been posting post after post of the most anti-Christian stuff.
Usually, I let the offensive material pass by my eyes and I ignore it even though the posts are always full of hatred for Christians.
One day, though, I saw a post that was just so incredibly wrong in its assumption about Catholicism that I had to respond and correct, so I did in a calm and charitable way.
Some guy showed up and threw out his red herring that he thought was a “gotcha.” It wasn’t and I told him to stay on topic and argue the point.
Seconds later, my friend took it all down. Deleted everything.
Weeks went by and I saw another meme she posted which had loads of errors in it. It was clear that the person who wrote it hadn’t really ever read his Bible or if he had, he read it with a hard heart.
So, since it’d been awhile since my last challenge, I explained why the meme was in error in a calm and correcting way.
Not long after, she took it all down. No comment. No “I’m sorry for posting something offensive to your faith.” Nothing.
Which is fine. I’m not looking for apologies.
In our Gospel reading today, Jesus tells us that we “will be hated by all because of my name.”
It’s just a fact that this is true. We must not let this make us play the victim card, though. This is part of Christianity. It is our opportunity to unite our suffering to Christ’s and model Him.
I was prepared for backlash when I commented with corrections. I got a bit, but I could handle it. It didn’t even make me mad, as I’m used to it by now. Instead, though, the posts were removed which is good as it keeps at least a few eyes from seeing it.
And for my friend who keeps posting this nonsense…well…deep down she now knows the truth. I hope she responds to the friction it’s created in her soul in a positive way.
Defend the Faith well, Catholic Pilgrims.
