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It has been said that the night is the darkest right before dawn and also that things typically get worse before they get better. I believe these statements are true and can be correlated to the circumstances that currently exist in the Catholic Church. 

I am troubled by and personally struggle with all of the pain and suffering in our world. I try very hard to not be brought down by the evil that has infiltrated our Church. It may be easier said than done, but this is the time we need to fight for our Church. Some may not want to hear that, but there is no greater love than God’s love for us and the sacrifice Jesus gave up for our sins. We would never experience the joy and jubilation of the resurrection on Easter Sunday if Jesus didn’t suffer and die for us on Good Friday. 

As disciples of Christ, we are commanded to love God, love our neighbor and share the Good News. It is easy to be swayed by the negativity in our secular world especially when there is so much anti-Christian public opinion. It is a very dark time for Catholics, but we need to be the light in the darkness. The love and light of Christ can and will overcome all darkness, all evil, and all suffering, but it is up to us. The Apostles, in their deepest, darkest and most terrifying moments after Jesus’ crucifixion, rallied and became the most powerful group of evangelists this world has ever seen. But remember, they did not do this under their own power. They were weak, meek and scared until the power of the Holy Spirit filled them on Pentecost. 

That same Holy Spirit is alive today and will give us the courage and strength to rise above all of these earthly obstacles. Effective evangelization is not possible without the intercession of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles did not do anything courageous until they were filled with the Holy Spirit and we can’t expect anything different for ourselves.  

There is no mission on the face of the Earth as important as spreading the joy of the Gospel. It’s time to go on the offensive and minister to those in need like never before. May we intentionally and fervently pray for the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with the fire of God’s love so we may share His mercy and love abundantly. We are called to be the face of Christ to everyone we encounter and for some, we may be the only face of Christ some ever experience in their lives. Do we have the courage to put our faith into action? Do we have the courage to fight for our Church?

Tom Cronin is the Director of Evangelization in the Diocese of Albany.  Contact Tom with any questions about boosting evangelization efforts at your parish at [email protected] or by visiting https://www.rcda.org/evangelization. Follow me on Instagram: tom_rcda

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