Rebel Believers: Confronting the World with Christian Optimism
Paul Graas
Scepter
2025
115 pages
ISBN 978-1-59417-548-0
This is a challenging but utterly readable book, ideal for a young (or not so young) believer who feels very much at odds with the prevailing culture, but who perhaps feels powerless to swim against the tide. In its Introduction Graas identifies with the character in Huxley’s Brave New World who, though part of the “traditional society” in a reservation, finds himself in the “brave new world” and is an attraction for everyone, like an exotic animal in a zoo.
As a practicing Catholic in a Western country (the Netherlands) in the 21st century Graas and many others can identify with that man – indeed readers of Position Papers will be familiar with the struggle to live the faith in lots of reviews, and indeed of the books being reviewed. Graas suggests tackling the issue head on – he suggests confronting the world with optimism as a witness to the eternal message of Christ: He goes on:
“You show with your life that the Church exists to unite heaven and earth, with the goal of achieving man’s ultimate happiness. You resolve, with Christ in your heart, to love the world, not just tolerate it.”
Confession: I am more than twice Graas’s age (he was born in 1989) – the above quote has echoes of ideas I heard and read from St Josemaría Escrivá over 50 years ago – indeed Graas does quote the founder of Opus Dei a few times in the book.
His advice to anyone setting out on this spiritual path is given over eleven short but challenging chapters which stress the role of love, courage, prayer, self denial and the need we all have for help to make progress in our spiritual journey.
In an early chapter, the author references the famous lines of Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians on love – concluding that life is worth nothing if it is not based on love. He then presents us with the need for hard work and the need to get up again, even if the temptation is to give in. He cites the Curé of Ars, St John Vianney, who struggled with his weakness academically and the opposition of his father, and was even expelled from the seminary, relying on the help of a priest who did not doubt his priestly vocation to finish his studies and achieve ordination. And then the diocese, not knowing what to do with this “dumb” priest sent him to the village of Ars, and the rest is history. Pope Benedict XVI declared him the patron saint of all priests in 2009. Graas name checks some other saints, pointing out how their lives included struggle, i.e. they were not plaster saints. Indeed if he had written the book more recently he might have mentioned the recently canonised Sts Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati.
In Chapter 4 on Freedom to Love, Graas quotes a story from Tagore about a meeting between a beggar and a king on the one hand and on the other a story from Etty Hillisum’s diaries from Nazi occupied Netherlands before she was sent to her death in Auschwitz. Despite the terrible situation of her people, she could write: “I find life beautiful and I feel free. The sky within me is as wide as the one stretching above my head. I believe in God and I believe in man, and I say that without embarrassment.” Can our young people utter sentences like that in their peer groups and on social media?
Chapter 5, “Taste Pure Love” deals with the Church’s teaching on sexual morality, so much at odds with the mores of our times. He shows how adherence to the Church’s teaching is liberating and explains how true love between a man and a woman is unique and unconditional.
Under the heading “Desire to Listen”, the sixth chapter provides advice on the importance of prayer and guidance on how to approach it with lovely advice from Cardinal Sarah, Jacques Phillipe and St Teresa of Avila. He also reminds the reader of the beautiful story of Elijah and the discovery of the Lord, not in an earthquake or fire, but in a gentle breeze. (1 Kings, 19: 11-13)
Other chapters with headings “Love the Cross”, “Stand Up in the World”, “Love Your Friends Deeply”, “Realize You Need Help” and “Experience Motherly Love (Our Lady’s)” elaborate on these ideas and give timely and appropriate advice. All in all the book is one I would love to see in the hands of every 21st century teenager.