"Running From Jesus"

JMJ.  Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen once said, "the truth is still the truth even if nobody believes it; a lie is still a lie even if everybody believes it."  (Forgive me, but I'm quoting from memory in case one or two words are wrong.)  Arguably the greatest evangelist of the 20th century, he had a way of  imparting things that stick with one forever.  And he stated things in terms that folks of all walks of life could understand and grasp.   During his prime in radio and television, everyone knew Archbishop Sheen, regardless of his or her religion.

Anyway, I had no sooner read those words than I thought of the myriad times I've heard (and I'm sure you have, too) someone say that they don't believe this or that aspect of the Catholic Christian faith.  Shoot, I've even heard a lot of Catholics say it, it's that prevalent.  D'you want an example?  Ok.  Many fundamentalist Protestants put a lot of emphasis on being "born again" or having "a personal relationship with Jesus."  There's nothing bad about this; in fact it's salutary.  Let's say the topic of confession comes up.  What's the response on their part?  "I don't believe a human being can forgive sins.  Only God can do that--that's why I go straight to Jesus."

In striving to know Jesus intimately, the Protestant is, in fact, running away from Him and His Word.  Remember when He said to the apostles after His resurrection, "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven; whose sins you hold bound are held bound.  Couldn't get any plainer than that.  Now before you object, sure, you can pray directly to Jesus--explain your sin and talk to Him about it.  He'll give you whatever help you need.  But you still need to go to a priest to be shriven and it's into Jesus' ear you're really whispering.  And it's He that actually does the absolving since the priest is in loco Christi.

You get the idea.  There are as many examples as there are stories in the Naked City.  Jesus said, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life."  There is only one truth and He died on a cross for our sins.  To deny Him and His truth is like running away from a sticky situation.  We may not understand Him but but we can't claim we're trying to draw closer to Him by turning our backs on the only Truth that really exists.