How Can I Know If I Have Faith?

How Can I Know it’s the question we have been asking now for almost a month - and maybe for some - for a longer period of time in their life. You see life has lots of doubts and questions, and yet faith is an essential element to answering so many of them. That is why this Year of Faith announced by our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI is so very important. It is a call to a New Evangelization, it is an invitation to Re Discover the Joy of our Faith. It is a chance to remove the stumbling blocks (Mark 9:, 30-37, 38-48) that prevent us from truly becoming who God is calling us to be, and arriving where He desires us to be, with Him in Heaven. So we started by asking “How Can I know if I can start over if I Blew It?”, then we asked “How can I know if there is a God ?” and last week we asked “How Can I know If I am Thankful?” and this of course leads to where we are at now, continuing to desire to seek, find, knock and have the door of faith opened. But wait a minute, “How Can I know If I Have Faith?”

In the Gospel today (Mark 10:17-30) a young man comes to Jesus and says “what must I do to inherit eternal life”. Isn’t that what we would say too. Think of it, if we had been that young man with an opportunity to meet Jesus on the street, would that not be the eternal question we would ask? As the young man approaches Jesus you can sense in his question that seeking, knocking, searching that we have been talking about. It is around us everywhere.

People have more questions today then ever before. They wonder more, they inquiry more, they desire more. Yet we can’t presume that the content of our faith is accepted in our culture anymore, but what we can know is that people are desiring the Word of God more than ever, and its relevance is as profoundly needed as it has ever been. But in order to communicate it, we have to believe it, understand it and we have to live it authentically. Faith is not a routine.

So what is Faith - and how do I know if I have it?

Several months back I was travelling to New York when in the airport a gentleman who was sitting in the same departure lounge as I, came to me and said “Hey Father”. I looked at him, not recognizing him but believing that he was a Catholic, or at least should be one, I replied back. In a very chummy way he then asked “So where are you going?”, I replied back, “ Well to New York, are you?”. “Yep” was his replied, but somewhat subdued. Then came the moment. “I’m going for my nephew’s First Communion”. But his statement was not one of joy. I replied “Well that’s great”. His retorted “well maybe for you”. He continued, “ I am only going because it is my kid brother’s kid, and plus, my mother called me and said I should be there”. Our conversation continued briefly but what became so clear was that he not only had questions, he also had a lot of misconceptions.

So what is Faith - and how do I know if I have it? Three things if we are going to answer that.

1. We must ensure we are not “Prophets of Misfortune”: In the Gospel of today Jesus challenges the young man to go and sell all he had, and then come and follow Christ. Truly a challenge but certainly a sign of faith. What do we hold on to?

- what possession keeps us from surrendering to the Lord?

- what persons can stand in the way of us embracing Christ?

- what principle have we made for our life, not based in Christ, that is a stumbling block to embracing His will for our life?

- what prophetic wisdom of our own creation are we announcing which conflicts with the true Prophetic Word of Christ?

So often what stops us from living faith - well - is us! We want something our way, we desire to hold on to something for ourselves, we embrace a concept that we have created - about God, about our world, about a person, about the Church - and we say this is the way it is ! Never discussing or discerning with God in prayer if it is our truth or His! So our lives become, as Pope John XXII said on the opening day of the Second Vatican Council, the life of a prophet of misfortune.

So what is Faith - and how do I know if I have it?

2. We must ensure we are Established for Evangelization -"Evangelium" – "euangelisasthai" [Greek: "to preach the Gospel"] (cf. Lk 4:18). Anyone who has worked with me in the past 15 years of my priesthood knows that there are two phrases you can’t say around me “This project is impossible, or we have never done this before”.

In the Gospel of today - Peter came to Jesus somewhat frustrated and said Lord we have left everything and you want more.... well Jesus was calling the Apostles and Disciples even then to a new way - a deeper way - a way of developing an enthusiasm for our faith and inviting others to hear the message of salvation.

The New Evangelization, which actually started with Vatican II, has been a call by Blessed Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI to not only witness to those who have never heard of Jesus, but also to represent Jesus to those who are nominal in their faith. It is a call to be a speaker of God’s word, and to give a reason for the hope within you. (cf. 1 Peter 3:15) Today’s second reading from Book of Hebrew’s is powerful “ the word of God is living and active” (Hebrews 4: 12-13). We must be willing to make time to share what we have, and to re discover the joy of the faith we have. We have to ensure that no one gets lost in the crowd, everyone finds a place, and that there is not only something, but a place for everyone.

The words at the end of Mass “Go the Mass Has Ended” are not instructions giving permission to charge out to the parking lot and be the first in line at Timmy’s, or the stage direction for the choir to begin singing - they are a challenge to now go live what you have heard and been nourished in!

So what is Faith - and how do I know if I have it?

3. We must Set Ourselves Up for Success - Pope Benedict XVI at the conclusion of the First Session of the Synod of Bishops called to begin this New Evangelization and commence the Year of Faith, said to us that there are two keys which we must have to unlock the faith - “confessio” and “ caritas” or translated - Word and Action!

This is why the Catholicism Project we are offering as part of our Tuesday Night Together is so important - and one I hope you participate in. This is why our Lectio Divina as part of Sunday Night Vespers is so vital. Both of these give us a chance to unlock the treasure of our faith and put into action a deeper understanding of Him and His Word and how it applies to our daily life. If you are not participating in these then I ask you this - what are you doing then for the Year of Faith - it can’t be the same old - this year calls us to more! By saying we want more, our faith will be seen.

This year, the Holy Father is asking us to walk through the door of faith. As we deepen our understanding of the content of our faith, we will learn more fully what Jesus did for us on the cross and how he wants us to live. What’s more, as we grow in a “living recognition of the Lord Jesus, present in our lives” (Porta Fidei, 13).

This Year of Faith is about a little bit more...more of the Lord

This Year of Faith, is about answering “How Can I Know?”.

This Year of Faith is about inquiring and giving a little bit more to your life of faith - that which matters.

This Year of Faith is about growing a little bit more

If we are certain, that we are not “Prophets of Misfortune”, ensure we are Established for Evangelization, set Ourselves Up for Success, then unlike the young man in the Gospel we do not walk away sad, but do in fact, in the end, inherit eternal life.

YEAR OF FAITH – October 11, 2012-November 24, 2013

Today begins the Year of Faith, an exciting time in the life of the Church. It is a grace guided opportunity for the New Evangelization. A time in which Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has invited us to take seriously, to mark dramatically and to celebrate vigorously. At St Mary of the Visitation Parish we take that invitation to heart. Here is a list of some of the exciting things we are engaging in to help make this Year of Faith a deeply graced filled one:

• Friday, October 12, 2012 - Taste of St Mary’s - a parish potluck to bring together the diversity of our Family of Faith.

• Sunday, October 14, 2012 - Dedication of the Visitation Gardens with monument to the Sanctity of Life.

• Sunday, October 28, 2012 - Launch of Monthly Sunday Night Vespers/Lectio Divina - see parish website 

• Tuesday, October 30, 2012 - Launch of Monthly Tuesday Night Together featuring the Catholicism Series - see parish website - sign ups are underway

• Weekend of December 8/9, 2012 - Special Advent Weekend featuring Basilian Father Thomas Roscia of Salt and Light Television with a special conference for those involved in our Adoration Chapel Ministry which celebrates its 10th Anniversary.

• March 2-5, 2013 - Lenten Mission featuring Father Adam Voisin, Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Hamilton.

• We will participate in three gatherings (retreats) for young adults, men and women and for married couples and focus on Small Group Ministry in the parish and ensuring no one gets lost in the crowd.

• Engage in a parish wide Pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Christ the King, Hamilton to be held in the Spring 2013 and an additional Summer Pilgrimage to a Shrine to be named.

• Special retreat and spiritual activities for the young people of our parish elementary schools from Grade 1-8 during the Year of Faith.

Certainly a pinnacle event is our Year of Faith Pilgrimage to Fatima, Lourdes, Assisi and Rome from October 14-26, 2012. Some 35 people will be participating and taking with them the prayer intentions of the entire parish family as well.

Let us all pray that the Year of Faith, will be grace filled for St Mary of the Visitation Parish.

How Can I Know If I Am Thankful?

The Year of Faith which begins on October 11th marks the 50th anniversary of the 2nd Vatican Council - a monumental event in the life of the Church. The days following the Council, like some occasions even today, caused the People of God to question events - in the world and in the Church.

This series How Can I Know is about addressing doubts and questions so that we can enter the Year of Faith focussed without stumbling blocks (Mark 9:, 30-37, 38-48). Two weeks ago we asked “How Can I know if I can start over if I Blew It?” Last week we asked “How do you know if there is a God ?”. We continue in our desire to seek, find, knock and have the door of faith opened.

As we mark Thanksgiving - and as our Gospel this weekend (Mark 10:2-16) speaks to us about the richness of life and faith found within the gift of the Sacrament of Marriage and the innocence of childhood, we invite ourselves to ask “How Can I know If I am Thankful?”

Now, Thanksgiving is often marked by family gathering and good food! The thanksgiving meal is a staple of the weekend and so off shopping I went. I have to tell you though that to get to the grocery store at times is a challenge. The entrance to parking lots at times seems to be the exit location of common sense. People drive hap hazardously and seem to enter a zone that makes them unaware of other human beings in their midst. The pursuit of the last mango, potato chip bag or yogurt container on the shelf seems to be as vital as the air we breath. The grocery list becomes marching orders from a commander with dire consequences if unfinished! Or so it seems.

Well this week had one of those occasions, for it seemed to me that I met a lot of very driven personalities that day whose manners were left at the gathering spot of the shopping carts. As I arrived at the cash register, exhausted from the experience of trying to find three things on my grocery list, I took a deep breath. As I waited, I became entertained by a conversation between a little boy and his mother who were ahead of me in the register line. Obvious visitors to the city they spoke of how this grocery store was more ample than the one in their hometown. They listed everything they had seen, and then the little boy said - DID YOU SEE ALL THE TURKEY’S? I thought to myself - you bet I saw all the turkey’s - even got almost trampled by some of them!

Turkey’s are around us in life - they are not just in grocery store freezers

• they are that person who tells lies about you and speaks ill of you.

• they are that family member or friend who needles you because they are jealous of you.

• they are that person who feels entitled and judges you and is hurtful toward you

• they are that stranger who just says the wrong thing or that person who knows the right thing to say just to get at you or that individual who is holding a grudge and has it in for you.

Sometimes those “turkey’s” even gather with us at Thanksgiving and not on the table, but around the table seated with us. We all have moments in our life when we stop and we say Did you See All the Turkey’s! So when Thanksgiving comes around we ask ourselves - How Can I Know If I am Thankful?

I am a big lists fellow. I start my day with a list of things I wish to accomplish and get pretty happy when the day moves along and I can click them off on my list. But the opposite happens too - I find myself a bit disappointed if my list has lots to do still left on it by the end of the day. If our approach to thankfulness is list orientated - well - we are sometimes going to see what’s lost and left. That is why there really is two types of thankfulness

There is Secondary Thanksgiving - or what I call - “The Grocery List” of Thanksgiving. It is when we live life by coming up with a list of what we have: my investment portfolio had done well, my job is fulfilling, my family is healthy, my school work is satisfying, my health is fabulous, my looks are movie star status, my clothes are the latest, my toys are the greatest. So we turn to God and say thanks for this, for the good things we have. But the opposite of course is true - if any of these things are not on the list - thankfulness is not!

But as people of faith we are called to Primary Thanksgiving. This is a deeply found gratitude for God Himself - or what I call “ A Habit of Thanksgiving”. It is a seeded sense that develops within us a call to be a people of gratitude. We are called to get our eyes off of the list, the lot or the little, but to consider His greatness, His Majesty, His Blessing. Its that sense which the author of our First Reading (Genesis 2.7, 15, 18-24) speaks of when reflecting upon the creation of God and its ultimate connection to us.

So, “How Can I know If I am Thankful?”, well I guess by asking yourself if you focus on a list of lot or little or if you focus on a daily attitude each day which see gratefully the very creation which God has given us - little or lot - and rejoices in its very presence, is very nature. Do you see all the Turkey’s or do you appreciate all the blessings? Will your thanksgiving be ruined if one person says the wrong thing or will your thanksgiving be blessed by the very habit of just getting together? Primary Thanksgiving is what people of faith celebrate. Here is what I mean.

If for example, I have a cheque in my hand $1,440 and I have another which I will give, and another that I will give, and choose to do so every single day for the rest of your life. - Padre’s Cash for Life! - would you take it ? There is only one thing - you have to spend it all - totally everyday. None of it can be left over - none of it can be saved for the next day. You have to use it fully, totally anyway you want - except - none can be saved for the next day. One day it will stop - but you don’t know when - but for now you get $1440 daily. Would you take it ?

Most of us would be thankful for that - we’d accept - here is the thing - we already have something of that value its minutes in a day - exactly the same number 1440 and God gave them to us with that same agreement. We have to use them everyday. How we use them demonstrates if we are thankful. Ask yourself how you use them? Is it in a spirit of loss (the turkey’s too them) or a spirit of thankfulness ( God gave them)?

How Can I know If I am Thankful?

• Do you focus too much on the turkey’s or the list?

• Do you use every minute to the best of your ability or let the Turkey’s take them from you?

So this Thanksgiving - focus not on the turkey’s but the banquet, the harvest the blessing. If you do - your whole life will be one where you will know you are thankful!