"Preach the Gospel always, if necessary use words."
- St. Francis of Assisi
We’re all familiar with this quote. Why do faithful Catholics involved in charitable work sometimes use this quote to justify not using words? As John said in his excellent post on the distinction between charity and social work, Christian charity is rooted in eternity. St. Francis means that our faith should inform all we say and do. He exhorts his brothers to truly live the Gospel so they would be, in their time, the light of the world. Not only to be the light of the world, but also to bring the light of Christ to the world. Again, to paraphrase John, no secular or governmental relief organization can truly do that. In fact, to depend on a relief or social services from a non-Catholic entity is to invite in some cases an immoral solution. Counseling or providing contraception is but one example.
Today St. Francis’ words are construed to imply that giving of one’s material wealth is enough. It’s a start to be sure, but incomplete. We have a responsibility not only to share our blessings with those less fortunate that us, but also to share our most valuable possession: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is clear that the Gospel, and only the Gospel, is the antidote to the immoral solutions available from social services outside the Church.
I’ve heard the same people misquote the Beatitudes saying, “Blessed are the poor, blessed are the hungry” to imply the poor and the homeless already have their reward in heaven. They think we have no need to evangelize the people who come to a Catholic soup kitchen or thrift store. While the poor may be closer to heaven than all of us, there is no way to heaven but through Jesus Christ and the grace we obtain through His Church.
Christ is not speaking of material poverty and hunger when He says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” and “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” He is speaking of the virtues of humility and diligence.
Just after the Beatitudes are preached Christ urges us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
“We don’t want to force our faith on them,” I’ve heard an employee of Catholic Charities say. The implication is that there are only two options: say nothing about Jesus, or require someone be baptized before you give them a can of pork and beans. This is, of course, false. It’s a cop-out and it’s dangerous.
The literal case in point is Catholic Charities of Sacramento, Inc. v. Superior Court. The State of California seeks to require Catholic Charities of Sacramento to provide health insurance for their employees that include contraceptives. Catholic Charities of Sacramento filed suit against the State of California claiming a violation of the free exercise of religion and establishment clauses of both the California and United States' constitutions. The California Supreme Court ruled against Catholic Charities and the Catholic Charities has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. All this could have been avoided if Catholic Charities of Sacramento had acted like a Catholic charity.
Can we meet the demands of social justice without considering those of Divine Justice? It’s clear that the answer is no. Christ commands us to preach the Gospel with words: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20) Divine Justice is only served by obeying Divine Will. By all means we must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, but to the degree that we are able we must preach the Gospel. The corporal works of mercy must be accomplished while the work of Divine Mercy is proclaimed.
I cannot offer this criticism without some meager suggestions on how we can meet the requirements of social justice and Divine Justice:
Make Catholic literature available for those who make use of Catholic social services. Place “Pillar of Fire, Pillar of Truth” in the bag of clothes someone has purchased from the Catholic thrift store and a rack of pamphlets in plain sight in our soup kitchens and shelters.
Invite those who have come for a meal to pray the Rosary if they wish. After a meal extend the invitation. Those who wish to stay will stay, those who do not will go. Use short meditations on the Mysteries so that they have some meaning to those who are praying them. The Rosary is truly the simplest form of Bible study and the
Make our parishes more inviting to the less fortunate. This is a challenge, especially here in Northern Virginia where some of the wealthiest parishes are just blocks away from low-income housing. Many of us have, unfortunately, a “not in my back yard” attitude to those in need. In church this becomes a “not in my pew” indignation, and again, Divine Justice is ill served by this lack of charity.
These are some humble recommendations that we may employ to evangelize as we engage in works of mercy.
I welcome any other suggestions or criticism on this post by our readers.
