By Zoe Cannon
Gratitude for the Gift of Faith
‘All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children” (Isaiah 54:13).
On Dec. 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a “Unite Our Country” prayer service was planned at St. John the Evangelist Parish in downtown Indianapolis. An outdoor Eucharistic Procession through the city streets, with the recitation of a Patriotic Rosary near Monument Circle, was scheduled as part of the service. The weather forecast for that morning was not favorable. The rain was pouring as we drove up to the church for morning Mass. Pastor Father Rick Nagel informed the 250 people in attendance that we would pray the rosary after Mass in the church and hope that Our Lady would clear the sky for our outdoor procession.
Central Catholic grade school students from Indianapolis performed a liturgical dance in beautiful costumes of the Indians of Tepeyac, and a play about Our Lady of Guadalupe appearing to St. Juan Diego. The 50 students had been preparing for this feast day since September. The joy on their faces and the sincerity in their performances were very inspiring. As we completed the rosary, the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and procession began to line up outside under a beautiful “Mary blue” sky and sunshine. This procession, led by the Body of Christ through the streets of a metropolitan city, was very powerful. Celebrating the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, was truly a time of rejoicing after witnessing the faith in the eyes of those children.
The Christmas season is the most wonderful time of the year, but every day is a blessing from God. We have an opportunity to share the gift of faith daily with little ones, so they will feel the love of God in their hearts. This is how we make the world a better place; please be the person you needed as a child. I am very grateful to observe our adult children giving this gift to our grandchildren. I pray daily for the un-churched; for those who do not know the power of our Triune God, Creator, Savior and Counselor.
We placed a six-foot wooden cross with benches in a wooded area near our home to create a place of reflection. One afternoon, I discovered two of our grandsons kneeling and praying a decade of the rosary at the cross. I stood back and observed this unprompted “genuine witness” as these little guys ended with, “Please bless our country.” Our children need to know that God is the King of the Universe, not the secular, material world that grabs so much of our attention.
Every Christmas we celebrate the birth of the tiny King who was sent to be our Savior. And 2,020 years later, we anticipate His Second Coming. On this beautiful Christmas Day, take time to reflect on the gift of this True Presence in our lives. Nothing in this world is as precious to our salvation as the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.
“Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved!” (Acts 16:31). This one perfect message, shared with us from the Apostles of the early Church, makes every day the most wonderful time of the year! God bless you all! Amen.