Open Wide the Door to Christ

Pope John Paul II reminded us to “Be not afraid! Open wide the doors to Christ!”

This is a tall order but not impossible. How do we do this? How do we open wide the doors to Christ in our churches, in our hearts, and in our lives?

Recently I came across an interesting story told by Pope Francis. “Don Luigi Giussani,” Francis said, “used to quote this example from Bruce Marshall’s novel, To Every Man a Penny. The protagonist of the novel, the abbot Father Gaston, needs to hear the confession of a young German soldier whom the French partisans are about to sentence to death. The soldier confesses his love of women and the numerous amorous adventures he has had. The young priest explains that he must repent to obtain forgiveness and absolution. The soldier answers, ‘How can I repent? It was something that I enjoyed, and if I had the chance I would do it again, even now. How can I repent?’ Father Gaston, who wants to absolve the man who has been marked by destiny and who’s about to die, has a stroke of inspiration and asks, ‘But are you sorry that you are not sorry?’ The young man answers impulsively, ‘Yes, I am sorry that I am not sorry.’ In other words, he apologizes for not repenting. The door was opened just a crack, allowing absolution to come in….” Pope Francis recounts this story in The Name of God Is Mercy: A Conversation with Andrea Tornielli. Servant of God Luigi Giussani was the founder of the ecclesial movement Communion and Liberation and is one of my favorite priests and theologians. 

Is change possible? Of course it is, but it’s by no means achieved solely through our own efforts. Among other things, it’s a result of being struck by something greater. This can manifest itself in many ways, but I will suggest only a few.

Some Possibilities

I regularly listen to music while driving. I tried in vain to learn the guitar. I even joined a choir once despite being convinced I’m tone deaf. But music relaxes me. It allows me to drift away in my thoughts and detach from a turbulent world. Studies show that classical music helps people study better. I’m not a scientist, of course, and have no idea if the studies are correct, but I’m really not concerned with verifying the data. What’s important to me is music itself. I’ve been to concerts and recitals and have watched live bands perform right in front of me. Each of these events offered me something. But the conversation shifts a bit when I speak about faith and music. The beauty inherent in sacred music, for example, in chanting, offers something much greater to the Catholic and to all those who search. There is a richness to our Catholic faith, a joy, that I want to share with everyone. St. Bernard of Clairvaux once said, “Jesus is honey in the mouth, music in the ear, and a shout of joy in the heart.”

St. Bernard’s quote is very real to me. Our friends who are not so attached to the faith can be shown the beauty of it through many means?music is only one. Our very lives can be instruments God uses to show others beauty. While I enjoy all kinds of music, there is something special about sacred music. Hildegard of Bingen said, “Don't let yourself forget that God's grace rewards not only those who never slip, but also those who bend and fall. So, sing! The song of rejoicing softens hard hearts. It makes tears of godly sorrow flow from them. Singing summons the Holy Spirit. Happy praises offered in simplicity and love lead the faithful to complete harmony, without discord. Don't stop singing.” Recently, St. Hildegard was named a Doctor of the Church?one of only four women with that distinction. What an honor for her! Not long ago I came across an old CD collection and found a disc of her music. I listened to it and realized she has something to offer the faithful even 900 years later. But are we listening?

Other Avenues

St Augustine said, “Let us sing a new song, not with our lips but with our lives.” How are we living our faith every day? Someone at my parish goes to daily mass before work and is a father to more than eight children. I often watch him and find myself wondering how it’s possible to have enough time for his many responsibilities and attend daily mass? Are we intentional about making time in our busy schedules to spend with the Lord? I often ask this of myself. I want to try to be present, not only at daily mass, but as a witness to others around me. I was asked to give a talk to some teachers at a small private school. I asked one of my friends to accompany me just to provide moral support. It was an intimidating situation, with only about 20 people there: some were sleeping, some were daydreaming, and maybe one was listening. How often do we attend an event half-heartedly? Probably more often than we think. Once, I watched a Ted Talk, Every Child Deserves a Champion, by Rita Pierson. Truly inspiring. With so many speakers out there giving advice, one can easily become cynical about the seemingly endless line of putative experts. But Pierson’s testimony was different, and made me realize that the real champion of everyone is Christ, and that this is something we should make known.

Charitable Work

The saints have always offered helpful examples of charitable work. For instance, St. John Bosco began with very little but helped the young people of Turin, Italy. St. Jean Vianney, Mother Teresa, and a host of others have been witnesses to the faith. “Whatever you do, think of the glory of God as your main goal,” said St. John Bosco. Our charitable work is driven not by a moralistic insistence on “good deeds.” Rather, our charitable work is provoked by a love that struck us first and generated a desire within us to share it with others. Christ, as the Bible says, loved us first.

We are not serving the poor, making food baskets, or delivering meals because we are kind. We are serving Christ. And for my part, I can only do this through prayer, which is my starting point. If I were to attempt these things solely through my own abilities, I would certainly fail and fail quickly. “God,” St. Vincent de Paul said, “does not consider the outcome of good work undertaken but the charity that accompanied it.” What is my starting point? It must be Christ, and I need to be reminded of this every moment. The friends with whom I do charity work are signs for me. I need to see their faces to be reminded every day that Christ is the center of my life.

Conclusion

During the pandemic, churches were closed in many places. Once they reopened, fewer people came back. The Lord does not want us to forget Him. I certainly do not want that, either. However, we begin with an attraction to the something greater. It is actually Someone greater: Christ whom we see and want others to see in us. The charity work, the music, the talks?these are the products of our faith and love for Christ, because He surely loved us first.