When we speak of matters of faith, we turn to the example of Jesus and the saints, who used short sayings and potent images
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
If you had 30 seconds, what would you say?
I ask because several of the Gospel passages in these late July weeks are just about that long (or that short!).
Jesus tells the parables of the sower, the mustard seed, the yeast, the weeds in the field and the net thrown into the sea. Each of those lasts about as long as a television commercial.
The prophet Jeremiah also gives us short sayings and potent images. For example, describing the Lord’s people, he says: “They have dug themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that hold no water.” He might well be describing our digital addictions! And he gives us the image of the potter’s house: a few moments in the telling, but a lifetime in the unpacking.
We celebrate the feast of St. Mary Magdalene on July 22. Her message can be spoken like a lightning flash: “I have seen the Lord.”
We celebrate the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola on July 31. Each of his “Rules for the Discernment of Spirits” can be stated in 30 to 60 seconds, yet books have been written about them.
We know how to give short messages that invite further unpacking in so many areas of our lives. That movie was awesome. I read a really good book. Best burger ever! I tasted an excellent wine. The museum has a cool new exhibit. I just heard a great musician in concert.
But then when it comes to the Gospel, we get tongue-tied.
The world asks us poignant questions: What is heaven like? Why should I be concerned about sin? What does life look like as we draw toward God or away from God? We think we need a 30- or 60-minute infomercial, prepared by specialists and tested with focus groups, to answer such questions.
What if what the world needs instead is an answer that comes from the depths of our hearts? “I’ll give you 30 seconds — put it in a nutshell for me!”
Pope Leo, in his new encyclical,“Magnifica Humanitas,” says that our approach to artificial intelligence can either be like building the Tower of Babel or like rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem after the exile. That’s a powerful image! It can be stated briefly, then unpacked at greater length — and the Holy Father does that unpacking through 245 paragraphs!
July 19-25 is Natural Family Planning awareness week. How would you state the importance of NFP for a Catholic approach to marriage in 30 seconds?
We’ll be voting on Amendment 3 this November. How would you state the Catholic approach to Amendment 3 in 30 seconds?
Someone asks you, “What difference does it make to follow Jesus, as long as I’m a good person?” How would you respond and invite someone to deeper discipleship in 30 seconds?
Jesus was a master of this approach to the world’s great questions. Let’s study the readings these weeks; they offer lessons on how to follow Him. And, as we learn from Him, let’s practice doing it ourselves as we respond to the questions people ask us.
