One day, I was deep in the rabbit hole of the Catholic side of Pinterest when I came across something that really surprised me. It was a screenshot of a Tumblr post, which I honestly expected to be either funny/dumb or "philosophical" but alarmingly wrong. Instead I was taken aback by what I read:
I’d rather be a “Jesus freak” to people on earth who don’t really know me instead of meeting Jesus at the end of my life and hearing “depart from me, I don’t know you”
Maybe when you read that, your immediate reaction is something along the lines of "that is so true". These words should ring true for all of us as Christians.
If you think about what those words really mean, though, you'll quickly realize that actually living them out wouldn't be an easy task. It would mean letting go of caring about other people's views of you. It would mean denying yourself of many of the material pleasures this world has to offer. It would mean truly living for God over yourself. It would mean being authentically Catholic no matter how awkward it made you feel. And ultimately, it would mean discomfort... which brings us to one of my favorite quotes:
The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort, you were made for greatness. - Pope Benedict XVI
We are blessed in the US to live in a country where we legally have a lot of freedom - of religion, speech, etc. We aren't constantly persecuted, and we can walk (or rather, drive) to Mass each Sunday - and during the week if we'd like - without worrying that we will be killed. We don't risk our lives each time we do the sign of the cross in public (in fact, the only thing we risk is a few stares), and yet we become self-conscious and uncomfortable doing it. This is because, as the unexpected Tumblr post highlights, we tend to care more about what others think than what God thinks. If you've ever heard Fr Spitzer's talk on the Four Levels of Happiness, you might recognize this as the second level - the ego-comparative. It is something we have to work past, and it does require a bit of vulnerability and humility, which are hard. It's the greatness that we were made for. And when you think about it, if all Catholics - or even broader, if all Christians, pushed past worrying about our image in the eyes of others, we WOULD have the power to change the culture, and it wouldn't be so weird to be faithful. That radical change is one we're called to make, and it starts within ourselves.
Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world ablaze. - St Catherine of Siena
So how do we do that? Well, the path to authenticity will be different for everyone. When each of us step back and look at ourselves, do we see someone who's willing to share her faith with her friends? to share her faith on social media? to ask for prayers when she needs them, and offer them when she sees others in need? to pray in public? to say no to certain things and stay true to what she knows is right? to live so that others know that she is a follower of Christ?
Yes, we may be seen as weird. Yes, it might make us and/or others feel a bit awkward. But we have to ask ourselves, are Jesus and spending an eternity with Him in heaven worth it? If so, and if the only way to do that is considered "weird", then so be it! In fact, be extra weird!
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, People may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, They may be jealous; Be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway. (Author Unclear)
Fr Spitzer on the Four Levels of Happiness: https://www.magiscenter.com/the-four-levels-of-happiness/