The Evangelization in the Catholic Faith is like a Tarantula

Is a Tarantula cute? Maybe you think so maybe you don’t. That phenomenon have been a consistent reflection of mine ever since I started by Catholic journey. The phenomenon that people can react to the same object/stimulus and have different reactions. I love humanity in its diversity! Some people like strawberries because their tart and like the texture. Some people hate strawberries because their tart and hate the texture. What a mystery! Strawberries are one thing and tarantulas are another, but spreading the Gospel message is our mission as an Average Catholic. So why is a Tarantula like the Catholic Faith?

A fun fact about me is that I have an identical twin. We have the same family, the same upbringing, and the same exposure to the Catholic Faith. My reaction was to embrace the Catholic Faith as my own. My brother’s reaction was to abstain from the Catholic Faith in search for his own truth. Yet, we had the same exposure to the faith. This bit of my history have always been a piece of humble pie for me. Despite the same upbringing we went different directions in term of our Faith. Fast forward to me as an Evangelist, I could have the exact same conversation with different people and get different reactions.

Is this Tarantula cute? Is it scary and disgusting? Tarantulas are pets to some people. While other people would have a panic attack just for being near one. The Catholic Faith is similar that we could mention Mama Mary and some people would be ecstatic while other people would become venomous. The same could be for most Catholic teaching: hetero-monogamy, anti-abortion, Real Presence of the Eucharist, no female priest, praying for the dead, or forgiving your enemies. Those who already believe would be ecstatic to hear about the teaching, and those who do not assent to the teachings of the Catholic Church would have a neutral or negative reaction. This is regardless of our personal skill as an Evangelist. It’s just human nature.

Jesus Himself encountered this problem and He was the Word of God. He literally is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). Yet, some people still proclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) Jesus performed miracles and still the disciples struggled to understand: “How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread?” (Matthew 16:11) I see Jesus doing a “facepalm” in this passage and a few others out of frustration with His disciples. Jesus was with the disciples, lived with the disciples, taught the disciples, performed healings and miracles; all of it was still insufficient. Even after Jesus’s death, resurrection, and 40 days of instruction in His resurrected body, some of the disciples at the Ascension did not believe. (Matthew 28:17)

Now, we as Average Catholics, want to be good Evangelists. We need to remember that in terms of our “performance” we can say the exact right thing, at the exact right time, in the exact right way, and still will not be able to convert the person to whom we are talking. The passage that “haunts” me is 1 Corinthians:

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

— 2 Corinthians 2:14-17

Just like a tarantula, some people will take well to the Catholic Faith and some people will outright reject it. The reason this passage “haunts” me is because my personal formation/development in minister will never increase my control over whether or not someone converts. A conversion only occurs with the consent of the potential convert and even then it is more thanks to the grace of the Holy Spirit that we as Evangelist were used as instruments for the conversion. Every time I receive formation, I remind myself that ministry is third wheeling a romantic relationship between God and who we minster to. We only have so much control and influence.

The positive thing is that we don’t need to be harsh on ourselves if we “fail.” We do need to be sure that we are formed to the best of our ability, but even our best won’t guarantee success. Some people simply are not ready or do not want to embrace the Catholic Faith. As Jesus must have said multiple of times, “Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 11:15)

There are two bible passages that really show the obstacle of converting people who do not want to convert. Jesus ministered to the Jews, but moved on to the gentiles when His Gospel was not received.

 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

 “‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” — Matthew 11:16-19 NIV

The people of Israel already had a preconceive notion as to what they expect. More importantly, if they were challenged to conversion, then they would find fault in either Saint John the Baptist or Jesus instead of a true conversion. When the Gospel Message did not fit the world view of the Jewish people, then they found fault in the messenger/message, but not themselves. The other passage is…

This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

Jesus refers to a prophecy of Isaiah. This isn’t a particularly miraculous prophecy. Humanity has notoriously resisted obedience towards God and the people of Israel are no exception. The stories of Exodus and numbers provide numerous examples of a rebellious heart. Samuel the Last Judge was rejected in favor of a human king. Elijah was the last of the prophets after much persecutions. How true was the psalmist when he wrote, “For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.’” (Psalm 95:10) Jesus was no exception and we will not be as well.

I will have you know don’t be discouraged if you have been trying to convert someone, but nothing seems to work. A way to have mercy for yourself is to not have conversion be a goal. Instead, love God and love neighbor. Let growing in love be your goal. We can never regret growing in love. God willing, our witness would help bring about a conversion more so than any intentional effort on our part. We may preach as accurately as we can, but that won’t win souls. Only the Love of God for the salvation of all will be strong enough to break through a stubborn heart. Our evangelization maybe a tarantula, but tarantulas can be cute to those who can see the cuteness.