The Next Step

THE NEXT STEP

The next step you should take on your way home is to seek the assistance and direction of a priest. Any priest will be only too glad to give you what help he can. This is a part of his vocation, one of the duties of the office he fills. Christ Himself said: "Other sheep I have that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd." (Jn. 10, 16)

But if you do not feel confident enough to introduce yourself to a priest, ask some Catholic friend of yours to do so. The priest may seem strange to you at first, but you will find him surprisingly reasonable and human. The Catholic priest by the Sacred Orders he receives, has a special work to perform. He is chosen from among men and set aside to offer up worship at God's altar. But though he is set apart and anointed for a holy work, he is still a human being, very glad to be of service in God's cause and in the service of his fellowmen.

We are all, Catholics and non-Catholics, children of God, bound by the charity of Christ to love one another. The very greatest love that we can show one another is that love whereby we are anxious about the salvation of our neighbor. This is the love that impelled the Son of God to descend to earth and take upon Himself our flesh in order to save the sheep of Israel that were lost. This is the same love that impels the missionary to leave family and friends to travel to distant parts of the earth to win souls for Christ. This is the only reason why the Catholic priest is anxious that the truth of Christ be made known to you and to all men.  He is absolutely confident that he is a member of and a leader in the Church in which Christ meant that all men should work out their salvation.