We have a new year upon us! If you are reading this, you have survived a turbulent time. We all experienced a, hopefully, once-in-a-century pandemic; an unprecedented election cycle that may still be unresolved; and an economy that has shaken us to our core. Our faith may feel as if it is the only constant we can lean on and find predictable. But do we have a strong faith life? This may be the year to invest yourself in becoming a stronger Catholic Christian.
If this is something you feel the Holy Spirit is prompting you to explore, today is the day to begin investigating the available opportunities. This can be a scary endeavor for a Catholic, because even though we are also Christian, we have often been encouraged to follow the lead of those who have been trained and are skilled at interpreting Scripture and explaining its meaning to us. We have not always been encouraged to develop a personal relationship with Jesus, as so many of our Protestant brothers and sisters have. We may not even understand what that is or what it means.
Developing a stronger faith life provides comfort for us when we are unsure of what awaits us in a situation. It also challenges us when we are hesitant to speak up and would prefer to hold back and play it safe, for fear of recrimination. Our Catholic Christian faith encourages us to know Jesus as a person of history and to love him and his ways as the Christ, or the anointed one of God. Our faith teaches us that Jesus is present in the Eucharist, which means that when we come to Mass and celebrate this communal meal with the priest, Jesus is present among us. When we participate in Communion and we eat his body, we become a means of his presence in the world.
ACTION PLAN
- Take a leap of faith this year. Begin where you feel comfortable and go one step further.
- Look for ways to actively engage with others who are exploring their faith and trust that the Holy Spirit will only give you what you can handle.
Our belief in this reality should change our personal world and how we interact with others, as well as our collective world and the many ways we can influence what is happening around us. For you see, when we have partaken of Communion with the Christ, we have said “yes” to the Holy Spirit’s touch in our lives. We have opened ourselves to his grace, or his presence, in our mind, heart, and soul. We have affirmed that we are willing to be a positive agent of change in our world.
If we do not have a strong faith life, we may go through the motions of attending Mass on the weekend, taking Communion, and going back to our world the moment we walk out of the church doors. We are not changed or transformed, and we are not becoming salt and light to a troubled world. St. Justin Martyr — who was an early apologist, or advocator, for Christianity — stated: Christians, “because of their high moral principles, they are really the best of citizens.”
We must each ask ourselves if this is true of us. Do we have a strong faith life that transforms us and our decisions, so that we have high moral principles? Are we prepared to transform the world, even in small ways, that can initiate a ripple effect and influence the world for good?
This is the time to begin exploring your faith and responding to the voice of the Holy Spirit, encouraging you to be open to deepening your faith life. Ask what your Church is offering regarding a Bible study or a small group faith exploration. Look online and take a class that interests you about the history of our faith. Purchase a reading/journal book and invite a friend or family member to take a journey of faith with you, so that you can both grow deeper in your faith this year.
Remember that Jesus will not ask more of us than we are able to handle at one time. He will take our faith and grow it, just like the parable of the mustard seed. All he needs is our permission.
Soucheray is a licensed marriage and family therapist emeritus and a member of St. Ambrose in Woodbury. Learn more at her website, ifhwb.com.
