The Mustard Seed

When it comes to faith we can all agree we can never have enough! Yet, Jesus tells us in Matthew's gospel, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'move from here to there, and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." The mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds, yet when planted will grow into a large tree. Therefore, it is not the size of our faith that makes the difference. Rather, it is our response to this gift of faith which produces the growth and moves the mountains in our lives.

I have listened to countless stories of people struggling with their faith due to the death of a loved one or the pain of divorce. How could a good and loving God not heal my loved one or restore my marriage?  But, it is during these difficult times when faith is tried and tested we see great growth. This great gift we have been given rest not on our emotions and fears. But, rather on the promises of God who Himself experienced a crisis of faith in the garden of Gethsemane.

All Christians will experience in their life-time a period, or periods of doubts regarding their faith. According to Pope Francis (who has acknowledge his own personal faith crisis), "A Christian who hasn't doubts, who hasn't had a crisis of faith, is a Christian who is missing something". In the end what matters is how we respond during these times. Our surrender and trust to God's will and plan for our lives will give hope to others going through similar situations. We bear witness to this faith by the hope we carry in our hearts.

A seed is just a seed until it is planted in the earth and surrenders to the soil.  Our faith is a muscle and needs to be exercised in order to grow and be strengthen. So the next time you feel that your faith has been shaken remember to flex this muscle and let God's graces flow.  Each and every time we pray, 'not my will but yours be done'  we die to self and are reborn in Him.

Begin today to move those mountains in your life!  

"Who do you say that I Am"?

In Matthew 16, Jesus proposes a question tohis disciples; "Who do people say that I am". They respond using a variety of examples  to describe who people were claiming Him to be. Then Jesus directed the same question toward each one personally; "But, what about you, who do you say that I am"?   I believe that in order to share our faith successfully we must all consider and answer the same question; Who do you say that I am"?  

There is a difference between knowing about someone and 'knowing them personally'. As we grow to know and love someone we are excited to introduce them to our family and friends. When it comes to our faith and relationship with God this can be difficult if  we are not really sure who He is ourselves!

Take a walk down memory lane with me for a moment; "Who taught you about your faith? What image do you have of God and how would you define Him? What difference does your faith make today in your life? " Answering these questions honestly will help you understand why, or why not you share your faith with others. Negative images and preconceived ideas about 'who God is' can prevent us from sharing our faith. Removing the obstacles that stand in the way can only be done through a personal encounter with God who loves us unconditionally and desires our friendship.

When we come to understand and accept God's great gift of unconditional love and mercy we want to share this good news with others. Despite, all our failures and shortcomings God has loved us and has called us his own. This is good news that we can't keep in. Only in God do we find the power, strength and ability to resist temptation and avoid sin.

 God has,  and continues to do great things for us and this is a message of hope that the world needs to know. In God, and only in God will our hearts truly be at rest. It is never too late to share your faith where God has planted you!

"Who do you say that I am"? 

Actions Speak Louder than Words

When it comes down to sharing our faith Saint Francis has the right idea...'preach the gospel at all times and if necessary use words"! I believe we spend more time worrying about what we will say then how we act. If we are to share the gospel message there must be no ambiguity between what we say and what we do. This by no means exempts us from sharing the word of God, rather it is a reminder that our actions can bring others to Christ or turn them away.

Consider for a moment a time in your life when you realized that your actions did not convey a true Christian attitude. When you have judged someone based on their appearance or their education and treated them differently.  In my own experience one place I find most difficult to maintain a Christ-like posture is while driving. I must confess, I have little patience with drivers who tailgate. I would not consider myself a candidate for road rage, but I have come to recognize that we are all capable of anything without God's grace and presence.

As Christians we are called to demonstrate to the world God's love by acts of mercy and kindness expecting no retribution. Many times our kindness and compassion have been the catalyst for healing and reconciliation. When we serve our brothers and sisters we help to break down walls and barriers that keep us apart.

In the following exhortation Pope Francis shares Jesus' model on sharing the faith with others; "Jesus' attitude is sticking: we do not hear the words of scorn, we do not hear words of condemnation, but only words of love, of mercy, which are an initiation to conversation. "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again." Ah! Brothers and Sisters, God's face is the face of a merciful father who is always patent. Have you thought about God's patience, the patience he has with each one of us? That is His mercy. He always has patience, patience with us, He understand us, He waits for us, He does not tire of forgiving us if we are able to return to Him with a contrite heart. "Great is God's mercy."

Actions speak louder than words!