Or how the American artist’s words touched the heart and soul of a teenager 80 years.
Do you remember the first time Jesus has counted for you?
It is not a matter of rhetoric. Pope Francis invites us to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, but it is not without require a little effort. We must find a way to talk about Jesus to a culture that has already assessed and rejected.
My story is probably similar to many others.
Jesus did not mean anything special to me in the 70s and 80s I heard his name in insults, in comedies mocking televangelists, or in the mouth of religion teachers who either spoke of “Jesus” and “sharing”.
Everything changed with the compilation Biograph Bob Dylan, just release before Christmas in 1985. I was 16 years old.
I bought it and copied to audio cassettes, I listened repeatedly on my Walkman. All the pieces I liked, but these are the three Christian songs that have marked me most.
“You must serve somebody, Dylan sang. This may be the devil or the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody. ”
I was fascinated by both the egalitarianism of words by rhythm. The more I listened, the more I realized that Dylan said something true.
Young people like rock, because he speaks with passion of things that adults are unwilling to address. And that’s exactly what Dylan has caused in me. He said that Jesus was important. I wanted to understand why. The way to get to Jesus helped me bypass the usual religious and cultural barriers.
What about the others? Father Benedict Groeschel once said that according to our personality, this is the truth, goodness or beauty that we come to Jesus. Scott Hahn, it was true. I remember his video cassette “A Protestant pastor converts” (Protestant Minister Converts) was very popular in the early 90s.
There are two types of people who seek the truth: those immediately detect lies and want to get to the bottom of things. They manage to Christ by philosophy, scientific discovery, or apologetics. Then there are those who are not necessarily intellectuals, but love the next “amazing stories” of Catholicism: the Shroud of Turin, Our Lady of Guadalupe, my miracles, etc.
Others find the path of goodness. As Mother Teresa, who heard Jesus’ call, a call to serve the poor in being among the poorest. She accepted Jesus and the poor at the same time. This phenomenon occurs each year at the Benedictine College students who “have” really faith after a field mission.
In a world where more and more things go wrong, there are still those, increasingly numerous, who convert animated by a desire for justice and morality, which leads them to want Jesus.
Finally, there is beauty. Bishop Robert Barron is an excellent illustration (listen 3 minutes from here in English). In his DVD series “Catholicism,” he says on faith becomes meaningful because he speaks from dazzling cathedrals, to stunning works of art, surrounded by the wonders of nature.
But, again, the beauty can take different faces.
For some it is the kitsch of a pious image. In my case, it took a guy from Minnesota, the nasal voice, accompanied by a gospel band.
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