The first apostles undertook this gigantic task because they were profoundly convinced of the sheer truth of what they taught; they saw into its beauty; they would share this treasure with the whole world if possible, even if they had never received the divine commission. In it they found the solution of all men's acutest problems, the satisfaction of all men's strongest desires. They recognized, in a word, that divine truth had been entrusted to them to pass on to the whole world.
If I received a letter in the Pope's own handwriting, asking me to do some task, and telling me he would regard what I did as an act of personal love and devotion to himself, I would surely consider it an honor to obey. What, then, is to be said of the privilege conferred on me when, not Pope merely, nor saint or angel or even God's Mother, but God Himself, points to the world that is gone so far astray and invites me _ more, commands me _ to do my part in winning it back for Him?
The Catholic Church claims to be His infallible mouthpiece; to her has been committed the task of preserving intact whatever Jesus taught and the mission to preach it till the end of time to the whole world. It is an honor as well as an obligation for the Catholic, priest or layman, to share in this work, for, like the first apostles, we recognize the beauty of what she teaches, and we arc absolutely convinced of the truth of her claims. It is in no spirit of arrogance that she asserts her claims; she is far indeed from despising the sincere convictions of others; but she cannot harbor a doubt about the position she believes to be assigned her by her divine Founder.
This is hardly the place to give a detailed account of the intellectual arguments for our faith. Suffice it to say that we are asked to believe nothing except what is based on reason; the dogmas of our faith sometimes transcend reason but they never contradict it. Further, we briefly remind ourselves that the four hundred million "Catholics" in the world today (they far outnumber all the other Christian, sects combined) are members of the one Church which can show herself to possess the four marks which have distinguished the Church of Christ from the beginning. It is tempting to enlarge upon this theme, but it will probably help me to pray better if, taking the intellectual background for granted, I try to realize the immensity of the privilege of being a Catholic and an apostle.
One way of bringing home this truth is to consider the lamentable condition of the Catholic who falls away from the practice of his Faith. The Catholic is genuinely sorry for him, for he knows or can guess at the misery he must experience in his moments of sanity.
When he looks up with love in his eyes into the face of his Mother the Church, when he sees the limpid purity of her doctrine, when he tastes the blessed sweetness poured into his soul through her Sacraments, when he has come to respect the authority she wields and the sureness and definiteness with which she tells him what is right and what is wronghow can he feel in his heart anything but an immense gratitude for the gift of the true Faith?
And when he looks the other way and sees the height from which the lapsed Catholic has fallen; when he sees men, often men of sterling character, who remain outside the Catholic Church apparently through no fault of their own, deprived of all these blessings, bewildered in the midst of a multiplicity of contradictions, devoid of any authoritative teachers, at this moment (as it would seem) on the point of losing even the few remnants so far preserved of Christ's gospel _ how could he be harsh or cynical or indifferent? Rather, does not his heart burn within him with longing to share his treasure?
Jesus, make me appreciate the gift of the true Faith bestowed all gratuitously upon me. I thank You I am a Catholic; give me the grace to persevere. Help me to use my opportunities, today and every day, to share with others the inestimable blessings of the true Faith. On those who have been misled into error, in a special manner have mercy.