Imagine a man goes for a job interview at a large corporation. He explains to the interviewer that he’s very intelligent, hard-working and ambitious, and he wants to become a top executive with the company some day. Then he tells the interviewer that he doesn’t particularly like the company’s products, and he doesn’t think people ought to purchase them. But he definitely wants to be an important executive with the company.
If this ever happened, it would not be surprising if the interviewer said that anyone who does not believe the company’s products are good really should not be an employee there. That person should look for a job in a different industry.
I thought of this scenario a couple of weeks ago when World Youth Day was held in Lisbon, Portugal. Bishop Américo Aguiar, who was the coordinator and host of the event, had this to say about the international gathering of Catholic youth, which occurs approximately every three years: “We don’t want to convert the young people to Christ or to the Catholic Church or anything like that at all.”
Umm, I hope something got garbled in the translation, but when I read that quote, my first thought was: This fellow should look for a job in a different industry.
I thought of this scenario a couple of weeks ago when World Youth Day was held in Lisbon, Portugal. Bishop Américo Aguiar, who was the coordinator and host of the event, had this to say about the international gathering of Catholic youth, which occurs approximately every three years: “We don’t want to convert the young people to Christ or to the Catholic Church or anything like that at all.”
Umm, I hope something got garbled in the translation, but when I read that quote, my first thought was: This fellow should look for a job in a different industry.
I guess you need a lot of advanced degrees in theology to conclude that you know more about spreading the Gospel than, say, Jesus. I mean, the Lord was pretty clear when He said, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them…[and] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20).
Jesus also said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
For 2,000 years, the number one mission of the Church has been to make disciples, that is, to convince people to convert to Christ. So, with that being the case, I’m really not sure what the bishop had in mind.
To be fair, Bishop Aguiar also said this about the event: “World Youth Day is an invitation to all the young people of the world to experience God.”
Jesus also said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
For 2,000 years, the number one mission of the Church has been to make disciples, that is, to convince people to convert to Christ. So, with that being the case, I’m really not sure what the bishop had in mind.
To be fair, Bishop Aguiar also said this about the event: “World Youth Day is an invitation to all the young people of the world to experience God.”
Now, that’s certainly much better. That sounds like something an ordained clergyman should say. There are far too many people nowadays, regardless of age, who have not experienced God. We live in a very secular time in history, when people have convinced themselves they can live without God. But as St. Augustine said a long time ago, we all have a God-shaped hole in our heart, and nothing will satisfy us until we fill that hole with God. That makes sense, since God created us in His image. We are not complete until we enter into a loving relationship with Him.
I suspect the fact we live in such a secular age might be the reason the bishop in Lisbon made such a stunning statement about not wanting to convert people to Christ. Maybe he figured if he bluntly said the goal of World Youth Day is to preach the Gospel and make disciples, a lot of young people would decide not to attend.
However, you certainly can approach this in a low key manner without coming out and saying the exact opposite of the Church’s primary function. The bishop’s comment reminds me of another quote from Jesus: “Whoever denies me before others, I will deny him before my heavenly Father” (Matt 10:33).
I suspect the fact we live in such a secular age might be the reason the bishop in Lisbon made such a stunning statement about not wanting to convert people to Christ. Maybe he figured if he bluntly said the goal of World Youth Day is to preach the Gospel and make disciples, a lot of young people would decide not to attend.
However, you certainly can approach this in a low key manner without coming out and saying the exact opposite of the Church’s primary function. The bishop’s comment reminds me of another quote from Jesus: “Whoever denies me before others, I will deny him before my heavenly Father” (Matt 10:33).
From what I’ve read, it seems World Youth Day was a terrific event. I hope and pray that many young people did “experience God.” And I hope and pray that many of them, despite the bishop’s comment, did in fact “convert to Christ.” Who knows, maybe during World Youth Day even Bishop Aguiar converted to Christ. If not, he probably should look for a job in a different industry.
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