The 11th of October will mark one year since the year of faith has begun. Throughout our readings from this week we constantly see a reflection of why it is important to have faith. The examples that we have been given throughout our readings should feel timely to the many issues that we continue to wrestle with to this day. The words of the apostles seem so simple, but in reality required a lot of work from them. For us to use the same command "increase our faith" requires us to move away from the desires of self and to eventually embrace God totally without reservation. As we have experienced within our lives we move from periods of great faith to periods where we have moved onto other things which seem more important. In light of these readings it would be good to evaluate how we have increased our faith during this past year. May they also serve as a reminder that we must continue to find ways to bring about an increase of faith within our lives, our families, and inside the world.
When the "Year of Faith" began a year ago we were given a letter from our bishop that was read in every parish of this diocese. In it he challenged us to four specific goals to work on throughout this "Year of Faith" that would help us in beginning to grow in the increase of faith that the apostles desired to obtain inside of our Gospel. He wanted us to: (1) Increase your daily prayer life to include the Profession of Faith that we pray in the form of the Nicene Creed. (2) Frequent the Sacrament of Confession. As medicine is for the body, confession is health care of the soul. Also, avail yourself of the special plenary indulgences that are offered during the Year of Faith, that help to better purify us for our heavenly reward. ( 3) Increase your involvement in your parish community with the gift of your time, prayer, and resources such as participating in Scriptural studies, making Holy Hours of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. (4) Take every opportunity to be the hands and face of Jesus to all you encounter.
If we have forgotten about these goals I encourage you to begin to work upon them. To work upon them not only as an individual, but to foster them from within the home. A family should be able to glance at these goals and see that they are reflected at home. To pray, to learn about the faith, to be healed by the sacrament of confession, and to treat others as Christ are important ways for an individual to allow their faith to increase. These are also good ways where the family can grow in faith together being led by the example of parents in the importance of prayer, of study of the faith, of the importance of going to confession to return to God's love and mercy, and the example of treating others as Christ. On November 24th the "Year of Faith" will come to a close, but we all know that the need to increase in faith is a life long journey. Hopefully we will or have allowed this "Year of Faith" to make faith faith more manifest inside of our lives.
In a recent homily Pope Francis encouraged the faithful to come to a knowledge of Christ through the use of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In this "Year of Faith" I believe the Catechism is a good start for a person who wants to grow in their knowledge of faith. The Catechism is what the faith teaches and why and is a better place to go to understand what we believe then turning towards the interpretation of personal opinion or what we are told inside of the media. Personal opinion and the media will not and cannot change what is believed by the faith. If a person truly wants an interpretation of everything that Pope Francis has said since being elected I encourage that person to open the pages of the Catechism because their answers will be found there. To study the pages of this book along with Sacred Scripture will model what must be done not only in the mind, but also through our actions. Faith is not about knowledge alone, but is also about something that is alive and active.
The later half of our Gospel reminds us of the work that must done if we truly have the desire for this increase of faith. We should not immediately take our place at table, but instead should continue to labor as we foster our faith. Faith cannot be attained by a graduation ceremony and therefore it must continue to be fostered among family and friends. Faith will be missed if we never silence the many noises of our world to enter into prayer. Faith will become an afterthought if we allow our lives to grow dark with sin casting out our relationship with God. Faith is not based upon getting quick results for our needs, but is about total surrender to God. With faith we are not called to be isolated to ourself, but instead to expand ourself to becoming the hands and face of Christ to all whom we encounter. During this "Year of Faith" may our faith grow to the size of a mustard seed because with that alone we will be able surrender ourselves totally to God. May we be willing to say this day: "Increase our faith!"
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