“Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel.” (1 Cor 9:16)
My barber is an inspiration.
Every time I sit in his chair, something in the conversation—
from him or one of his patrons—
stirs my spirit.
He’s a godly man, full of wisdom and kindness.
But as a deacon, I tease him sometimes:
“You need to go to church a little more.”
One day, he shared something a Church of Christ minister had told him.
The minister had spoken with a Catholic priest.
The priest said,
“We are alike in many ways—
except that you believe it’s your role to get souls to heaven.
Catholics believe it is the Church’s mission to get souls to heaven.”
My barber turned to me and asked,
“What does that mean?”
I tried to explain—crudely, I admit—
while sitting in the chair,
razor at my neck,
Spirit in my heart.
Here’s what I said, or tried to say:
For many Protestants,
salvation is a personal mission.
The minister feels called to lead others to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
It’s direct.
It’s individual.
One person helping another find Christ.
But the priest was speaking from a Catholic understanding.
In our tradition, salvation is a sacramental and communal journey.
The Church is the Body of Christ,
entrusted with the mission of salvation.
Through her sacraments,
her teachings,
her shared life,
the Church nurtures souls toward heaven.
Priests, deacons, lay ministers—
we all participate in this mission.
But we don’t carry it alone.
We serve as part of something larger.
Not as isolated agents.
Not as lone shepherds.
But as members of the Body.
So when the priest said,
“It’s the Church’s mission to get souls to heaven,”
he was affirming a truth:
Salvation isn’t a solo effort.
It’s a shared grace—
carried through the Church’s liturgy,
her love,
her life together.
Near the end of my visit, another patron came in.
For him, salvation seemed to have a denominational identity.
He didn’t say it outright,
but from what I heard later,
he believed both my barber and I were going to hell.
I didn’t argue.
My hope is not in human ideas.
My hope is in Christ.
“There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus
has freed you from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1–2)
This radiant promise is more than acquittal.
It’s a transformation of identity.
In Catholic thought, this freedom isn’t something we possess privately.
It’s a gift we receive—
within the Body of Christ,
within the Church.
Before I left, my barber said something that stayed with me:
“How can we expect the world to come together and know peace
when even those who believe in Christ
can’t come together in peace?”
“Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel.”
Yes, the Church is entrusted with the mission.
But each of us is called to participate—
through witness,
through service,
through prayer,
through love.
Not alone.
Not by force.
But together.
In Christ.
Prayer: In Christ, Together
Lord Jesus,
You call us to preach the Gospel,
not alone, but as members of Your Body.
Thank You for the Church,
where grace is shared,
truth is taught,
and souls are nurtured toward heaven.
Help me walk humbly in Your mission—
to witness with love,
to serve with joy,
and to trust that salvation is Your gift,
not my burden.
May every conversation,
every act of care,
and every quiet prayer
be part of Your saving work.
In Christ, there is no condemnation.
In Christ, we are free.
In Christ, we walk together.
Amen.
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