October 6, 2019 Lord, Increase Our Faith

October 6, 2019    The Gift of Faith

Reading I:  Habakkuk
1:2-3;2:2-4

Psalm:  95

Reading II: 
2 Timothy
1:6-8,13-14

Gospel: 
Luke 17:5-10

While it is important that we give thanks to the Lord for all that He has given us, gratitude for the gift of faith is especially important. Faith is the foundation on which one's life is lived. It is like an anchor in a sea which steadies the person during the calm and beautiful seasons and the turbulent storms of life.

This was brought home to me forcibly when I was a campus minister at Aquinas College, Newton, Massachusetts. One young woman who became involved in the campus ministry activities shared with me that she felt cheated because her parents had not introduced her to any religion. She went through her childhood and teens without the blessings of faith.

The situation was that her father was a nominal Catholic and her mother had been brought up Protestant. Since this student had no knowledge of either religion, the parents themselves probably did not attend church. It is no wonder that she felt cheated. As the student became more involved in the campus ministry program at the College, she took instructions and was received into the Catholic Church.

One of the best gifts we can share with another is our faith. That is true of parents who are called to prepare the child for life. We cannot be with our children to support them all their lives. Also, none of us are going to live forever. How grateful our children will be if we have introduced them to a loving Lord who will be with them forever.  

There are many adults who are seeking for meaning and purpose in their lives. By sharing Scripture, giving example of authentic Christian living, and reaching out to these seekers, we fulfill the call to each of us to spread the faith in our circumstances.

When I was in high school, I worked in a department store in the summer. The Franciscans had a chapel nearby and a Mass every day at noon. I used to go to Mass during my lunch break.  Another teenager who worked with me asked if she could come to Mass with me. 

After a while, my coworker decided that she wanted to be baptized. However, she knew that she would be evicted from her home if she attempted it at that time. I lost contact with her because I entered the convent after high school. However, I assume that when she was out on her own, she might have fulfilled her dream.

Sometimes, people are shy about inviting people to Church. A Sister, who was a convert, shared with me that when she wanted to attend a Mass in a Catholic Church. She waited and waited for an invitation to no avail. Finally, she invited herself. Eventually, she took instructions, was baptized and later became a Sister of the Blessed Sacrament. It is sad to know that she had to invite herself.

If we have the blessing of friendship with Jesus, introducing Him to others is the best gift we can give them. Let us be alert to opportunities to share the treasure of that relationship.

  Reflection Question:   Give an example in which you or others have led a person/people to Jesus.

Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...

Señor, Aumenta Nuestra Fe

Si bien es importante que demos gracias al Señor por todo lo que nos ha dado, la gratitud por el don de la fe es especialmente importante. La fe es la base sobre la cual se vive la vida. Es como un ancla en un mar que estabiliza a la persona durante las estaciones tranquilas y hermosas y las tormentas turbulentas de la vida.

Esto me lo trajeron a la fuerza cuando era ministro del campus en Aquinas College, Newton, Massachusetts. Una joven que se involucró en las actividades del ministerio del campus compartió conmigo que se sintió engañada porque sus padres no le habían presentado ninguna religión. Ella pasó por su infancia y adolescencia sin las bendiciones de la fe.

La situación era que su padre era un católico nominal y su madre había sido criada como protestante. Como este estudiante no tenía conocimiento de ninguna de las religiones, los padres probablemente no asistieron a la iglesia. No es de extrañar que se sintiera engañada. A medida que la estudiante se involucró más en el programa de ministerio del campus en el Colegio, recibió instrucciones y fue recibida en la Iglesia Católica.

O Uno de los mejores regalos que podemos compartir con otros es nuestra fe. Eso es cierto para los padres que están llamados a preparar al niño para la vida. No podemos estar con nuestros hijos para mantenerlos toda su vida. Además, ninguno de nosotros va a vivir para siempre. Cuán agradecidos estarán nuestros hijos si les presentamos a un Señor amoroso que estará con ellos para siempre.

Hay muchos adultos que buscan significado y propósito en sus vidas. Al compartir las Escrituras, dar ejemplo de la auténtica vida cristiana y llegar a estos buscadores, cumplimos el llamado a cada uno de nosotros para difundir la fe en nuestras circunstancias.

Cuando estaba en la secundaria, trabajaba en una tienda por departamentos en el verano. Los franciscanos tenían una capilla cerca y una misa todos los días al mediodía. Solía ​​ir a misa durante el almuerzo. Otra adolescente que trabajó conmigo me preguntó si podía venir a misa conmigo.

Después de un tiempo, mi compañero de trabajo decidió que quería ser bautizada. Sin embargo, sabía que sería desalojada de su hogar si lo intentaba en ese momento. Perdí el contacto con ella porque entré al convento después de la secundaria. Sin embargo, supongo que cuando estaba sola, podría haber cumplido su sueño.

A veces, las personas son tímidas acerca de invitar personas a la Iglesia. Una hermana, que se había convertido, compartió conmigo cuando quería asistir a una misa en una iglesia católica. Ella esperó y esperó una invitación en vano. Finalmente, se invitó a sí misma. Finalmente, ella tomó instrucciones, fue bautizada y luego se convirtió en Hermana del Santísimo Sacramento. Es triste saber que tuvo que invitarse a sí misma.

Si tenemos la bendición de la amistad con Jesús, presentarle a los demás es el mejor regalo que podemos darles. Estemos atentos a las oportunidades para compartir el tesoro de esa relación.

  Pregunta de Reflexión:   Dé un ejemplo en el que usted u otras personas hayan llevado a una persona a Jesús.

Comments:

Stephanie Morris, Ph. D, Historian, Certified Archivist, emerita

Habakkuk noted the cries of the people: “How long, O Lord? How long must we suffer?” Our Lord responded: “the vision still has its time.”  Mother Katharine noted that we should “Follow each day of the call – not ahead of it.” We can’t hold God’s plans to our stopwatch. We should try to be patient. God’s plan may not seem like an easy or quick one now, but it does lead to our salvation.

Pat Chiaffa, ASBS

Rick Warren writes, “Faithful People Share their Faith.”

He bases that statement on the passage from Matthew’s Gospel in which the friends of a sick and paralyzed man, desiring his healing, brought him to Jesus by lowering him on his mat through an opening in the roof of a house where Jesus was staying.

Warren extends an astute invitation to all of us:

Warren draws attention to the wording in Matthew 9:2, “When Jesus saw their faith.” “It was not the paralyzed man’s faith that led to the healing—it was the faith of his friends.When Jesus saw that these friends cared enough to bring their paralyzed friend, he said, ‘Those guys have great faith. They’re not just asking; they expect me to heal their friend,’ and he did.” 

“You have friends who are spiritually paralyzed and can’t get to Jesus. They are paralyzed by fear, guilt, doubt, pain, or maybe even resentment over being hurt in some church in the past. They are paralyzed, and they can’t get to Jesus on their own.”

“God is watching to see if you will be faithful enough to bring them. And if you are, God will honor your faith. He’ll not only heal your friend; he’s also going to bless you. It’s a blessing of faith… as long as we keep bringing spiritually paralyzed people to Jesus, God will bless them and enrich our lives.”

I’m sure we would all like to be part of that win-win offer. For me, it means being open to opportunities to share my faith and releasing my fear of not knowing the right thing to say and of rejection. The Holy Spirit is working in and through my efforts so I really don’t have any reason not to extend an invitation to someone to join me in getting to know more abundantly the love of God.