Billions of people have said, “I don’t want to be a Christian. Leave me alone.”
Some have been told that rejecting Christ may keep their souls from getting into Heaven.
“Well, if Heaven is that picky, maybe I don’t want to be there.”
Similarly, billions of Christians have been encouraged to explore Catholicism and replied: “I don’t want to be a Catholic. Leave me alone.”
Those who reject The Church do so because they believe in something else. “My religion is just as good as The Catholic Church. I’m comfortable, believing what I believe. My friends and family all have beliefs similar to mine. I don’t really want to be bothered.”
The popular response is to nod wisely and say “I understand and respect your wishes.” Equally wishy-washy: “We can agree to disagree.”
An unpopular reaction is to say “Have you considered the cost of being wrong? Jesus fulfilled 300 prophecies describing His birth, life, and death. Those prophecies were made a thousand years before His birth. That is so far beyond coincidence that He must be the Promised Messiah. He founded one Church, by saying to the first Pope, ‘Thou art Peter, and on this rock, I build My Church.’ Is it better to stand before Him at Judgment as a member of His Church, or to have rejected it for one founded by someone who rejected the only Church He founded?”
Do we want to be popular, or firmly state the case for Catholicism? It’s a decision we make frequently. As we decide how strongly to recommend Catholicism, we may wish to consider Jesus’ instructions: “The lukewarm water, I spit out of my mouth.”
That is one of what He called “least commandments”. About obeying His commands, including His “least commandments”, He said, “If you obey My commands, you are My friends.”
