Pray for those who persecute you

Christopher Hitchens never persecuted me directly, but he inspired some of my friends to say some pretty unfriendly things. Since that's nothing compared to being shot in church, burned at the stake, roasted alive, skinned for faith, I can take a little ridicule here and there. God made sure I had such a firm certainty that I don't need everyone I meet to agree with me before I'm certain about Him. I know in my bones. If you don't believe or if we disagree? It's not my job to convince you. It's my job to live as perfectly as possible in harmony with Truth so you can see the light shining through despite the way I tend to muddy things up.

Conversion is God's job, not mine. I'll only debate you up to the point where it becomes pointless. Then I'll sic a saint on you. If you want to call me names in the meantime? So be it. I have one friend in particular who can't wrap his head around my conversion. I used to be interesting. I used to be creative. I used to be relevant. How could I do such an infantile thing? I've devolved. He comes back around to irritate himself over me two or three times a year. I bite my tongue when he insults me, and he knows me well enough to know exactly how to insult and hurt me, but that's what you have to do when you are a hate mongering Christian.

The death of Christopher Hitchens is wrapped around my feelings for this old friend of mine, mainly because my friend admired him and quoted him. So I've prayed for this man. I will continue to. It's funny what will inspire prayer. I probably would never have uttered a word to God about Mr. Hitchens if it wasn't for my friend and I quietly battling over the state of my soul. Gotta love the irony.

That said, I don't have much to say about the man, but this post by Frank Weathers sums up what I would if I did.

Christopher Hitchens, Requescat in pace

Posted at Why I Am Catholic on December 16, 2011 by Frank Weathers

One of the practices Catholics engage in that really infuriates the world is that we take Christ literally when he says,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.

And so we pray for the repose of the soul of Christopher Hitchens. He was enigmatic, and had depth of soul. Gifted writer, militant atheist, enemy of Christianity, brilliant debater, wordsmith extraordinaire, and secular humanist who endured “waterboarding” (to prove that it indeed is torture), he was one of God’s children and will be missed.

Pat Archbold has a piece worth reading that marks his passing well. And his post helps explain why Catholics will pray for the repose of the soul of Christopher Hitchens. Because infuriating the world is something Catholics have been doing for over 2011 years.

There is no sense in stopping now. Besides, Our King’s order still stands.

Once you’re gone, you can’t come back;
when you’re out of the blue, and into the black.

Tell it, Neil.