In college, I once went to a Chinese restaurant with a Dominican priest.
I was part of a group that brought Catholic speakers to campus, and after one talk, Father graciously joined us for dinner. When the waiter brought out fortune cookies, Father began unwrapping his when a curious student blurted out, “But, Father, should you eat a fortune cookie? Isn’t that a little close to divinization?”
With a smile, he cracked open the cookie, crumpled up the fortune, and set it aside. Then, he whispered a short prayer, ate the cookie, and quoted Aquinas: “Gratia non tollit naturam, sed perficit—Grace does not destroy nature, but perfects it.” There was a moment of silence, then we all burst into laughter.
Looking back, I see how profound that simple act was. Father wasn’t just answering the question; he was showing us how to engage with culture. He rejected what conflicted with the Faith (the fortune), accepted what was good (the cookie), and crucially, transformed it into a formative moment that taught all of us how to better serve Jesus.
It was no longer about a fortune cookie or just saying a little prayer—it was about transforming an everyday moment into a chance to live out the Christian life.
This models what St. John Paul II teaches in Christifideles Laici. Quoting Vatican II, JPII says, “The good news of Christ continually renews the life and culture of fallen humanity.”
We aren’t called to passively accept or reject culture—we are tasked with purifying and healing it through the Gospel. We’re called to live our Faith in a way that transforms culture!
And JPII is clear—it’s our mission! As lay faithful, we have the responsibility to infuse society with Christ’s love. This isn’t easy. It takes courage to purify culture—to reject what’s wrong, nourish what’s good, and bring grace into it—often in the face of indifference or hostility.
So here’s my invitation: this week, keep an eye open for a wound in the culture around you and ask, how does Jesus want to heal this through me?