You want proof that Jesus exists? Look at a Calendar.

There are many different arguments a Catholic can use to prove the existence of Jesus to secularists. These include multiple historical facts, witness testimonies and miracles, too many to count. However, before hitting the history books, just ask this simple question, “What year is it?’

Everyone has been in the same situation, either at work or in a social setting. A casual remark about having to ‘go to Mass in the morning’ or ‘say your prayers’ gets picked up and there is an immediate bombardment of criticism and broad-reaching statements about the existence of Jesus Christ. These critics rarely have an understanding of Catholicism or the Eucharist or indeed anything related to our beliefs, outside of what they may see on social media or television shows/movies.

It can of course be difficult to explain detailed histories, miracles and witness testimonies to someone who doesn’t want to hear the Catholic truth. They are not seeking a debate, and they do not want to be educated or convinced with logical arguments and facts. However, it is natural for Catholics to want to defend their faith when challenged. It is natural to want to edify non-believers on their misunderstandings and misconceptions.

The idea behind the quick (and usually loud) criticism is an attempt to embarrass the believer or to humiliate them before their peers. This is important to the secularist as they are only familiar with society’s idea of individuality, which isn’t very individual at all, they must conform to very specific criteria in behavior and opinion. The secularist is unfamiliar with the concept of being a Religious individual or the idea of standing alone with God. So, to them, if someone is ostracized or humiliated before their peers it is a full and complete victory and the Catholic has been vanquished. However, in a Catholic’s eyes, being ostracized, isolated and humiliated is often a validation of the course of their faith, as in Psalms 40/4:

… Thus even my friend, in whom I trusted
Who ate my bread, has turned against me
But you, O Lord, have mercy on me

The secularist will try to convince you there is no God, and that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ never existed. This is an attempt to make you question your faith through social embarrassment. Of course, as Catholics, it is not a matter of mere ‘faith’ we have ‘knowledge’ of God through his glorious creation and miracles. But the critic will not take any interest in these facts.

Despite the extreme differences and the logical acrobatics of a critic. There is a quick way to address these criticisms and perhaps plant a seed of belief in the secularist’s mind. Ask them what year it is. So, you know the date, what has that got to do with anything? Well, regardless of someone’s belief system, it is clear that mankind and history has been around for at least 6,000 years. However, the current year is only in the first half of the third millennium.Time itself revolves around the Birth, Life, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When he was born, time was reset. The entire world decided: this is so important that we must reset time, we have to start again, Jesus has been born, lived, died and Resurrected for our sins, we have to start again, without the burden of original sin. Then time was divided into B.C. Before Christ and A.D. Anno Domini or The Year of Our Lord. It has been 2025 years (and counting) since Christ was Born, and how do we know? It’s on the Calendar. This is difficult to deny, even for the most determined cynic.

Of course, these days some media outlets and writers use B.C.E. (Before Common Era) and C.E. (Common Era) to replace B.C. and A.D. this is an attempt to try to detract from the significance of Jesus's birth. However, the origin of the date is still the same, the year is the same. Time is a fact that cannot be denied. Yes, there have been changes to the calendar over time, but these changes were miniscule, e.g. adjustments for leap years and seasons. The year is still the same. So, unless the secularist is going to start arguing with the Calendar they may have to concede the point.

On an auxiliary note. Some secularists are believers in evolution theory, which encompasses a period of millions if not billions of years (The definition of what a ‘billion’ is, varies between the USA, UK and EU, I won’t even go into a ‘Millard’) and after all those billions of years, suddenly a new period of time is introduced? Their billions of years are B.C., and we are living in the A.D world. Is that not historically relevant? It is also useful to point out that B.C years are counted in reverse. So, the entirety of history/existence before the Birth of Christ is calculated as a monumental countdown to the moment of His birth, and then, and only then do we start with year 1 A.D.

There are people who do not understand Catholicism, but loudly criticize it. If they understood it - they would believe it. However, when someone is being openly critical of our beliefs and have little to no knowledge of God and Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, sometimes a Catholic must use a more obvious means of defense. In this scenario, the calendar is a fantastic, very factual method of explaining that the world, and time itself, actually revolves around the birth of Jesus. Not only is this impossible to deny, but maybe, just maybe, it will plant a little seed of faith in the secularist’s soul and that curiosity will create an invitation for the Holy Spirit to inspire them towards a future life of faith and devotion.