I often wonder

If we are evangelizing the world, or if the world is evangelizing the Church.  Fr. Longenecker gives a shout out to a 'Catholic' approach to evangelizing, which is sort of the old 'don't be exclusive but live our lives out in order that all come to the fullness of Christ through the Church.'  In short, I have no clue.  Do we think that isn't exclusive?  Do we tell people that's what we want?  And what do we mean by living?  Holy living?  Chaste?  Pure?  Party animal who's saved?  This is, and no disrespect intended, what I mean when I say Catholic unspeak.  It sounds wonderful, but try to put it into some coherent practice.

But most of all, it reminds me of just how radically the world has changed and thrown the gauntlet down before the Church.  And how, so often, the Church can only respond by bowing and vowing to change.  I'm sure we imagine that mass conversion - if we should even want that - is on the verge of happening.  And yet I still can't help but think for every perceived step forward, the world is compelling us to take three or four very real steps back.