By ZOE CANNON
GRATITUDE FOR THE GIFT OF FAITH
“Entrust your works to the Lord, and your plans will succeed” (Proverbs 16:3).
The world God created is inherently good! His plan for creation was designed with wonder, joy, faith and mystery. The account in the Garden of Eden – and the failure of Adam and Eve – should not continue to be used as an excuse for our participation in a wayward world. The continued narrative in salvation history certainly provides us with the means and grace to overcome the wiles of the evil one. So, why are we still so vulnerable?
I just finished reading a book written by Father Harrison Ayre. The title, “Mysterion: The Revelatory Power of the Sacramental Worldview,” intrigued me; and the book did not fail to meet my expectations. It is challenging to live the faith with strong conviction in a culture that fails to recognize absolute truth. The teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church provide us with a well-defined concept of Christ’s own vision of creation.
The unknowns can be overwhelming; but never doubt that God is at work in the midst of it all. Throughout salvation history, we witness that those who believe obtain faith beyond all understanding. Father Harrison writes, ”The season of Christmas leads us to reflect on the fact that God has become flesh. The celebration of the Incarnation is the beginning of our redemption.” This is an incredible gift!
The great mystery of a Triune God blesses us with the gift and power of the Holy Spirit, and the ability to call upon His power in our times. The high standard of ordinary Christian living should be a goal in the life of each person, every family, and the responsibility of each community. We should never apologize for speaking truth in an ever-changing society. Our silence, for fear of being intolerant has created confusion. Our baptism equips us with grace and the power to call upon the Spirit of God to help us in the journey.
I am always searching for practical and factual ways to teach the faith to young children, especially our grandchildren. I created a project for our grandsons about the lives and the mission of the 12 apostles for our homeschool class. We spent three weeks reading from scripture; and with the help of a book by Father Jude Winkler OFM, and a pamphlet from Rose Publishing, “The Twelve Disciples,” we managed to find some great information about these first followers of Jesus. We created books with artwork, and facts about the specific role each disciple played during Christ’s earthly ministry and beyond.
Part of the assignment was to pick one apostle and write a narrative about their life experiences while following Jesus. I could never have imagined the detailed understanding and emotion that was written in their stories. Their choices were interesting – and each one certainly inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Knowledge is power, and faith in Jesus Christ is everything! I am confident the three weeks we spent learning about these 12 significant men will impact the lives of these young boys forever.
The world needs strong men and women of faith. We are each called to serve in the Kingdom of God by using our God-given gifts.
The information our grandsons learned about the challenges of the early Church and the witness of these good and holy men is invaluable. Their enthusiasm and participation in completing the assignment was appreciated, but it was the gift of our faith that made it all possible. All glory to God!
In this New Year, I pray we all reflect on our own mission in building up the Church instituted by Christ. Our Christian duty to follow Jesus is the same as it was for the original 12 – now and forever! Entrust your work to God and you will succeed! Amen!