We have only a few months left in
the Year of Faith. It is time to begin to ask the question
concerning the difference it has made in our lives. Jesus asked the question: “But when the Son of Man comes, will he find
faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8) It is clear in our time that it really is
possible for the Faith to be lost. How
many families have members who are raised in the Catholic Faith who have simply
walked away?
The loss of Faith tends to happen
for three basic reasons: 1. At times, a
crisis in a person’s life can lead to a rejection of Faith, with blame placed
on God or on the Church. 2. A contrary witness of Faith by one who
represents the Church can get in the way: genuine scandals, mistreatment by a
religious authority or parent, or bad publicity leading to a loss of
trust. 3. Simple indifference and laziness, a lack of
attention given to Faith that leads to a sense that it is not important. What is occurring in our time involves all
three of these. Sadly, the third one is
the most common. What you don’t use, you
lose. Faith is killed by failure to
commit.
The answer to these experiences that
helps to overcome the temptation to loss or rejection of Faith has to be
adequate to the need. The Church
practicing must be a place of Welcome and Hospitality, open to accompanying
those in need of healing. Members of the
Church must be a solid witness, truly committed. A real zeal for the Truth of Faith and its
power to raise us up is the only real cure for indifference. If God and Faith are not first in your
priorities, you will not be able to withstand the pressures of the world. Now is the time to recommit. Deepening our knowledge and understanding of
the Faith “from the inside” is also needed.
The right response to Jesus’ question is a conscientious effort to pass
on the Faith to the next generation by witness and catechesis.
Over the summer, many families have
been away. I am delighted to receive
bulletins from various churches around the country indicating that church
attendance has not been forgotten. If
you have not been with us through the summer, we welcome you back and invite
you to be with us each week. Let God have
first place in your life and don’t let the busy-ness of Fall keep you or anyone
in your family from Sunday Mass. When
the Son of Man comes, will He find Faith in your household?
Year of Faith October
11, 2012 – November 24, 2013
We continue our journey through the Year
of Faith. As one way of observing
this year, each week a small section of the Catechism
of the Catholic Church is read before the start of Mass.
CHAPTER THREE MAN’S RESPONSE TO GOD
142 By his Revelation,
“the invisible God, from the fullness of his love, addresses men as his
friends, and moves among them, in order to invite and receive them into his own
company.” (Dei Verbum 2; cf. Colossians
1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Exodus 33:11; John 15:14-15; Baruch
3:38 [Vulgate].) The adequate response to this invitation is faith.
143 By faith, man
completely submits his intellect and his will to God. (Cf. Dei Verbum 5.) With his whole
being man gives his assent to God the revealer. Sacred Scripture calls this
human response to God, the author of revelation, “the obedience of faith.” (Cf.
Romans 1:5; 16:26.)
Comment: Faith is a capacity given by God to allow
human beings to respond to His Gifts. By
responding to God through Faith, the human person is able to know, to love and
to serve God and to receive the happiness for which God created us. Revelation is not a revelation of simple
facts and doctrines. It is an offer of
relationship. To believe is to enter
into a living relationship with God. How
do you understand your own act of Faith?
Focolare Word of Life for August 2013:
‘If you love those who
love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love
them.’ (Luke 6:32)
http://www.focolare.org/en/news/category/parola-di-vita/
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