Speaking the truth: Courage to evangelize

		Living the Scriptures  with St. Paul University  Catholic Center  George Schmitz

I hear it almost every week. "The Catholic Church needs to get with the times and change its teaching on . . . (fill in the blank)."

You would think I'd be used to it by now, but it somehow always takes me by surprise, and I wonder who super-glued my tongue to the roof of my mouth. Then I feign invisibility until the topic has changed.

Of the apostles, I can best relate to St. Peter. Like me, he didn't always know the right thing to say. Even when he gets it right in another passage by correctly identifying Jesus as the Messiah, we see in today's Gospel that Peter doesn't yet know what to expect from the Messiah. Upon seeing Jesus with Elijah and Moses at the Transfiguration, the fearful Peter classifies Jesus as a prophet when he offers to make tents for each of them.

Second Sunday of Lent (March 12, 2006) Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 Ps 116:10, 15, 16-17, 18-19 Rom 8:31b-34 Mk 9:2-10

He does not grasp the meaning of Jesus' glory in the Transfiguration. Perhaps he thought, as some Jews did, that the Messiah would be a sort of military hero who would free the Jews from the Roman occupation.

We may only speculate what Peter thought Jesus was doing when He was transfigured, but judging from his outburst, he clearly expected Moses and Elijah to stay and accomplish great things. We can imagine his disappointment and confusion when he watched Jesus return to his normal appearance and walk back down the mountain.

What is admirable is Peter's eagerness to support Jesus, even though he had false expectations. Like Peter, I presume the ways God will change the world, and I settle my expectations on what I presume God should be. I can even convince myself I am doing what God wants, just as Peter thought putting up tents was God's will. In his fear Peter forgets that Jesus' way was a gentle calling to obedience and humility.

	Reflection questions • Do I listen to God in daily prayer? • Am I eager to share my faith in the home, workplace, and everywhere I go?

Jesus calls us to evangelize by our actions and our teaching. Sometimes I think our society's problems will be solved when we elect the right legislators or pass the right laws. I underestimate the opportunities I have to profess truth in my daily life with my friends, co-workers, and the people I meet on the bus because I'm afraid I won't say the right thing.

St. Peter had the courage to speak in spite of his fear, the kind of courage we need today as Catholics. If we had that kind of zeal for Christ and the humility to listen to His Church, the Holy Spirit could accomplish more than any law.

George Schmitz is a graduate student working on a doctorate in microbiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He attends Mustard Seed and Samuel Group at St. Paul University Catholic Center.

St. Paul's Web site is www.stpaulscc.org

Faith Alive!

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	Faith in the Marketplace   This Week's Discussion Point: Where do you pray together with others? How does your small group/community pray?     Selected Response From Readers:
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