In these strange days, we need to seize courage and community where we can find it. When we find bold truth and fearless Christian witness, we need to drink deeply and then pass it along as the life-saving medicine that it is.
This is where Justin Bieber comes in (yes, he really does). This 20-something multi-millionaire and popstar has not been shy about his Christianity and his pro-life views in the past, but in recent weeks he has removed all doubt about where his treasure lies.
On Easter Sunday, Bieber released a gospel EP called Freedom wherein he sings about how he “had everything in life that people strive for,” but that he still felt empty and without purpose. He writes about how God saved his life and took all his sins and “threw them in the wasteland.”
In his own way Bieber is using his voice to take as many people with him to God as he can. It’s amazing to watch someone with so many followers (and so much to lose) take a fearless stance in professing his faith. Can we say that we are using our voice and our resources to do the same thing?
This is what it sounds like when a popstar steps out for Jesus:
“He’s the reason that I’m still standing, and even in a pandemic God is still plannin’. Plannin’ peace, plannin’ joy, plannin’ another day. Gave His life upon the Cross to wash our sins away.”
Former scientist and theologian Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete writes that the key to re-establishing interest in Christianity is recognizing that the dominant culture steals from us.
“Part of the success of the dominant secularist culture is to try to succeed in hiding how interesting the Christian claim is, how beautiful, but above all how interesting, and how does it do it? By deciding itself what is interesting, by diminishing the reality of what is interesting, especially in our youth. In the end, nothing really interests you enough to change your life …”
Msgr. Albacete writes that Christ comes to revive. To help us to remember our dignity and our beauty. To wake us up from the dream-like, semi-conscious state we find ourselves in now more than ever. Christ reminds us of who we are.
We were made for God, and, if we are honest – like Bieber – we say with St. Augustine “Our hearts are restless, O God, until they rest in You.” Our hearts will not give up the search until we discover our core identity as children of God; the dissonance we experience in the culture will continue to cause herd-wide anxiety and anguish. This is not the work of God. This is the fruit of our own turning away from God.
The idea that there will be time later to find God/peace/liberation is false because it is merely a wish with no plan. So many of us are numbing our discomfort with the restless consumption of media and opinions in the effort to distract our searching hearts. And yet, the feverish search is without an earthly remedy.
John 3:16 is oft quoted for a reason. In it, Jesus tells Nicodemus that “God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world.”
We know that God does not delight in the condemnation of anyone. His plan was always unity and community forever, but love does not force itself. We know that love is freely chosen, it is always faithful, and it is always fruitful. The world pressures and cons us into things against our will and our better judgment, but God never forces our hand.
“And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God” (Jn 3:21).
Decide today to come to the light. Make a concrete plan to turn away from any darkness in your life. Bring as many people with you as you can. It’s as simple as a bold invitation. They might say no. They might write you off, mock you or discredit you but this whole Christianity gig is not going to get easier so we might as well get used to discomfort sooner rather than later.
If you take a meandering walk through our collective Christian history, you’ll see that you are in excellent company, and also, no servant is greater than its master. “Remember, if the world hates you, understand that it hated me first” (Jn 15:18).
Christianity does not promise immunity from suffering, but Jesus does promise us his peace no matter what. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (Jn 14:27).
