TRUE FAITH
My
grandchildren have all reached maturity (well, more or less depending on the
circumstances J). Anyway, for all intents and purposes they are
grown up. As I look at them and think of
their futures, my own past rears its head.
I don’t want them to suffer, to grieve, to be afraid, to be in pain, to
be humiliated or rejected, ever! But I
know that is not possible. I do want
them to be loved, to be happy, to grow in learning and in faith. I want them to know that they can trust
God. I am fully aware that all those
experiences are what go into making a total human being. You can’t be compassionate unless you
love. It is easier to bear the
difficulties of life if you have a core of belief that you can depend on. I heard someone once say they wished they
could open the head of their child and pour in all the things they will need to
live happily and successfully. But human beings don’t come pre-fabricated. It takes one experience at a time.
That is also
how true faith happens. In Mark 6:50-52
the disciples are being tossed around in a boat when Jesus comes to them
walking on the water. He says, “Take
courage, it is I, do not be afraid.”
Now you would think that they would be overcome with the power of Jesus
and trust him implicitly from then on but that is not what happened. They were more afraid than ever according to
Mark “They had not understood the
(miracle of) the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.” Say what?
The apostle’s hearts were hardened?
Neither Matthew nor John tells the story this way but I tend to think
this version is more realistic. These
were early days in their relationship with Jesus and these events frightened
them. It took time to know Him in order to trust Him. They did get to know him, to trust him and
eventually they accepted martyrdom for His sake.
The kind of
faith that I wish for my grandchildren is the kind where they gradually begin
to truly see Jesus as both human and divine.
To trust in His every word for all of their lives and no matter what
happens to them, the core of that faith will never waver or let them down.
I pray
fervently for them, that their faith will grow and sustain them all their lives
as it has mine.
Blessings,
Carol Lemelin, OPA
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