How to win battles without using God as a weapon

Boy, I really needed to hear this. 

For some time, I've been drawn to learn more about the Catholic Church.  I've been Catholic since birth and have always relied on my FAITH as the foundation for what I believe.  While that sounds correct, I felt (and still do) that I don't really KNOW my FAITH or, rather, KNOW the CATHOLIC CHURCH.

So, for the last few months -- encouraged by conversations with a non-Catholic -- I've been on a quest to learn as much as I could through books, tapes, CDs, and knowledgeable Catholic folks.  This has been such a blessing for me -- and a struggle.

Now, feeling better equipped and prepared for questions, I'm finding myself suddenly uneasy in my recent conversations about Catholicism.  Not the topic, but the approach.

Well, I found this reflection for today's Mass readings which really hit home.

What do you think? 

How do you prepare for battle? 

Are you picking fights or letting the Spirit lead you in to battle?

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Good News Reflection - Good News Ministries (www.gnm.org)  
Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
January 17, 2008

Today's Memorial: Saint Anthony, abbot
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/AnthonyAbbot.htm

Today's Readings:
1 Samuel 4:1-11
Ps 44:10-11, 14-15, 24-25 (with 27b)
Mark 1:40-45
http://www.usccb.org/nab/011708.shtml

How to win battles without using God as a weapon

Why were the Israelites defeated in today's first reading? And why did God allow the Ark of the Covenant to be captured?

They had failed to discern and follow God's will. They thought that having the Ark in their possession guaranteed their success. We make the same mistake when we use the Bible or Church documents (today's Ark of the Covenant) to prove our point in arguments or when we use it as a weapon to judge and condemn morally erring people.

Have you ever wanted to use Church Law to force others into attending Mass, warning them about mortal sin and eternal damnation? We have only the best of intentions, right? But this is no better than the ploy some Protestants use to "save" Catholics when they quote from our Church's teachings — out of context — to claim that we're going to hell.

To win a battle, we cannot use apologetics; this a tool for explaining Church teachings to someone who's already interested in hearing the explanation. Testimonies and a faith well lived is what will bring an unbeliever to conversion or an inactive Catholic back to the Eucharist.

Before defending any truth, we must first pray and discern if the time is right to speak up. Unless the Holy Spirit has first prepared the hearer to recognize the truth that we speak, we're only wasting our breath. We can do more harm than good. We're carrying the ark into battle without the Lord's protection.

If you want to promote change in others, first pray about their inner motivations: What makes them do what they do? How is sin motivating them to continue sinning? Listen for the Lord's inspiration on how to meet some of their needs, thus giving them the gift of Christ before mentioning the name of Christ. Watch for the Lord to do the groundwork — their soil must be tilled and fertilized. Your prayers will help wither the weeds as the Gardener does his work.

During this preparation time, speak the truth silently but loudly in the way you live. Although this might seem to be too little, it's much more effective than verbally trying to force others to change. Listen for the Lord's "go ahead, speak up now." Until he gives us the words to speak, the truth will only cause arguments and failure.

When people are ready to hear the truth, they ask questions or show a desire to find help for an inner struggle. This is your cue. You are now in a position of ministry and God's victory is guaranteed. You can take the ark onto the battlefield and sit down with the enemy and open it together to look at the truth that it holds.

Isn't that how God converted you?