When the people in our lives that are the closest to us; those who are intimately connected to our souls, walk away from our Catholic faith, it cuts into the most inner depth of our hearts. It creates a kind of suffering that is difficult to describe in words. Why does God permit His adopted children to turn away from His Church? There are so many reasons that come to mind as to why our loved ones would leave the Church, but ultimately I ponder on the question, "If they truly believed and understood the Truth; the whole Truth, that is only found in the Catholic Church would they have so easily abandoned the Bride of Christ? If they knew without any doubt the beautiful gift given to us by the Son of God, that is only found in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, would they have still left the Church?
Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble, F.S.P., a former fallen away Catholic, gives us an excellent work of Catholic literature, The Prodigal You Love - Inviting Loved Ones Back to the Church, that not only shares her own story of reverting back to our Catholic faith, but provides us with incite as to how we can help lead our loved ones back Home. With kindness and a spirit of gentleness we can become beacons of hope and light for the lost and straying sheep that have wandered far away from the Good Shepherd, and help guide them on their journey back to the Father as the prodigal son.
“As we continue to strive to look upon our loved ones with God’s tender gaze of transforming love, let us live under the gaze of the Father, fix our eyes upon Jesus, and be guided by the Holy Spirit.” (Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble, F.S.P.)
It is by placing our faith, hope, and trust in the Lord, and by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are confident in God's grace to lead our loved ones back to the church in His own time, not by judgment or condemnation, but by a gentle invitation with a great show of love. It is by living our own lives in imitation of Christ in the world, and offering prayer and sacrifices for our loved ones that we can become instruments of the Holy Spirit in God's Master Plan. By promoting the values of the Gospel by our own lives we “attract” others to the faith.
Sr. Theresa Aletheia reminds us of Pope Francis’s words in his letter to consecrated men and women on February 2, 2014, “Men and women of our time are waiting for words of consolation, the availability of forgiveness, and true joy.” If we desire our loved ones to “Come Back Home” we should not be forceful with them, or ever give them a laundry list of reasons as to why their lifestyle is leading them on the road to Hell. We are responsible for informing them of the truth, but it must be done with love and by understanding that many who leave the Church have done so because of wounds inflicted upon them by people of the Church. Also, because they honestly do not understand why the Church teaches what She does, and that God's law is a law of Love, that will lead us to eternal happiness with Him in Heaven. It is because of our love for God that we want to follow His commandments, "I love God, and therefore, I believe in no other God's besides Him," or "I love God, and therefore, I keep holy the Sabbath." We do not blindly follow the commandments because they are rules set in place to restrict us, but we follow the commandments because we love God so much that we would do anything in this world to bring Him happiness and joy.
“When we have loved ones that are away from the Church, God asks us to become holy so that we may give glory to God and attract others to Him in the Church”. (Pope Benedict XVI)
It is emphasized in Sr. Theresa Aletheia's book how we can only invite fallen away Catholic back to our Church by pursuing them with God’s Love. It is by our prayer life and time spent alone before the Blessed Sacrament in the silence of our own hearts that we can free ourselves from an inward gaze that is solely focused on our own thoughts, interests, and desires and shift our focus to an outward gaze upon the Eucharistic Face of Christ. It is in adoration of the Bridegroom that we come to know the Father's Holy Will, and that He will give us the courage and strength to turn away from being judgmental, unforgiving, and uncharitable, and be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit that will aide us in sharing the Love of Christ with others. It is only by love that we can help others to be able to receive and accept the grace that will lead them to unwrap the gift of faith that God has to offer them in the Catholic Church.
"Our evangelization can take many forms. We do not have to write articles or stand on street corners (unless God calls us to do that). But we do need to love, and to be love in the Church. When we love God, we will naturally extend this love to others and this love will attract souls to the freedom of Christ in the Church." As a revert myself, I can attest that that is the best way to win souls back to the Kingdom." (Sr. Theresa Aletheia, F.S.P.)
If we allow ourselves to fully rely on Him then the invitation to our loved ones by our words and actions can plant a seed that may very well yield fruit. But we must remember though that we are only the workers of the vineyard, and it is the Lord Who will choose if and when there will be a reward for our labors. It does not mean that we should seize praying or offering sacrifices for our friends and family that are away from the Church, but on the contrary, we need to be as Saint Monica, and hope for their hearts to become open to the workings of the Holy Spirit.
“Hope cannot be found within ourselves, we must turn to God in order to grow in this virtue.” (Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble, F.S.P.)
The Prodigal You Love: Inviting Loved Ones Back To The Church, is highly recommended for those who have loved ones in their lives who no longer practice the Catholic faith. The author uses the parable of The Prodigal Son to explain the meaning of the Biblical story using her own knowledge of the Church's teachings, insights from Saint Augustine, and to discuss her personal experience, have others share their testimonies, and share practical advice. If you are the friend or family member of someone who has left the faith, are a witness to his or her empty seat in Church, and are struggling with the pain and hurt of losing a loved one from the faith, then this book is definitely a good read for you.
