We are living in an era of Church history in which it is no longer considered polite or decent to be a Christian by the standards of broader society, at least here in the West.

Back in July 2016, I wrote a piece for Catholic Exchange titled “How to Respond When ‘Christian’ Has Become a Bad Word – A Few Reminders from the Early Church to Today.” Not much has changed in the last two years (or 2,000?), and if anything, things have gotten worse for Catholics and other Christians when it comes to how we are regarded popularly. If you doubt this, look at how the Church is portrayed in various realms of the media, including Catholics being publicly lambasted for their faith, and unduly scrutinized in an official capacity even for membership in a branch of the Church that is one of the most reputable international charities in history, as Ed Condon recently detailed for the Catholic News Agency: “Judicial Nominee Faces Senate Scrutiny Over Knights of Columbus Membership.” It appears that we may be entering a new era of anti-Catholic [and otherwise anti-Christian] intolerance.

If you strive to live according to your faith, and profess the Church’s doctrine, perhaps particularly in the area of human sexuality (teachings which are based on Christ’s [see Matthew 19:1-12]), however gently, patiently and charitably, then you are quickly shunned and ostracized... even by fellow Catholics who have come to prefer man’s wayward law to God’s. Such allegedly inexcusable positions as professing that sex should be reserved for marriage, that marriage is between one husband and one wife (and that children deserve a mother and a father), that the poor and homeless deserve humane treatment, that unborn babies are human beings, that repentant sinners deserve forgiveness rather than vengeance, that any number of social ills are as much – if not more – due to systems of sin and a setting of spiritual warfare than to sociological conditions alone, then you can easily become a persona non grata. Social exclusion, if not crippling fines and even incarceration, are in store for attempting to function as a Christian in this post-modern era. This is not even to mention that, worldwide, the persecution of Christians, even to the point of martyrdom, has become a daily reality for many around the globe.

As in every other era of Church history, these are saint-making times. There is a need to live our faith with bold conviction and courageous sanctity. One way? As a “New Year’s resolution” for 2019, consider wearing a cross, such as a crucifix, of a noticeable size. No matter your career, governmental position, level of education, or other circumstantial designation, be proud to be a disciple of Jesus Christ foremost. With that visible symbol, say: we exist! Not to be sanctimonious, but I have worn a cross every day for a couple of years now, whether my black and white Dominican cross (as a lay Dominican in the Order of Saint Dominic) or a simple pewter crucifix, and it is stunning how often people approach me and engage in goodwill conversations about faith. People want to live their faith openly, albeit not obtrusively so. If people of other faiths are permitted to wear visible representations of their faith tradition, then in an epoch marked by assertions of pluralism, inclusion, and tolerance, Christians are likewise allowed to exhibit adherence to a benevolent faith tradition.

The Lord does not simply posit, but promises, the trials that are in store for those who follow his will. To be sure, read the sobering version of this account in Matthew 10:16-39, under the headings “Courage Under Persecution,” “Jesus: A Cause of Division,” and “The Conditions of Discipleship.” We are similarly drawn to this cogent resolve with the Lord’s words as they appear in Luke 9:23, “Then [Jesus] said to all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” I hope that you are graced with the spiritual benefits of wearing a cross in 2019, and hopefully beyond. You would not be in the Church if it did not mean something to you, so it is time to stand up and outwardly express your embrace of the Good News.

I will conclude with an extended excerpt from master catechist, speaker, and writer Pat Gohn’s book All In: Why Belonging to the Catholic Church Matters (Ave Maria Press, 2017). I suggest that you read this book in its entirety, especially during this stretch of turmoil, confusion, and disappointment in various aspects of the Church, recalling her divine foundation per Matthew 16:18. For the time being, meditate on the significance of Gohn’s explanation of why the cross (and wearing one) matters:

It is no small thing that Catholics are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and marked with the Sign of the Cross. It is at once consoling and slightly ominous when you consider the history the cross has as an instrument for torture and hideous public executions carried out by the ancient Roman government. The worst criminals were sentenced to be tortured and to hang on a cross to die. Thanks to the merits of Jesus on the Cross, we have gained so much by his death and resurrection. We have the forgiveness of our sins and the grace of all the sacraments of the Church to benefit us. In and through Christ’s resurrection, the Cross has become a true sign of hope and salvation for all people. When you get right down to it, for our sakes, the Cross is not a negative. It’s a plus. Jesus turned something that was excruciating and despicable into something powerfully redemptive. ... I wear a little cross of gold around my neck because, as a Catholic, my life is both spiritual and religious. I am both prayerful interiorly and, on the exterior, a practicing Church member trying to live the faith out in the world. I wear that cross because what happened on Jesus’ Cross long ago affects me still. Jesus’ love for me, and his sacrifice for me, brings meaning to my everyday life. In him, the best of who I am and all my deepest aches meet; the sacred and the stumbling find common ground. In the body and blood of Jesus, given up for me, I have salvation. I wear that cross because of the faith that was handed down to me by the Church. Without the Catholic Church’s influence, born from the blood of the Cross and the power of the Spirit, I would never have been introduced to Jesus Christ. The Church continues to be obedient to Christ’s command: ‘Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28:19). This Church is why I know Jesus and have the promise of heaven.” (pp. 23-24, 25-26)

You can find a cross at your local Catholic store, or at EWTN Religious Catalogue. You might even wear a bracelet or a clothing item embroidered with the image of a cross. Either way, be prepared for eventual blessings, even if they come by way of temporal discomforts.