-Last Sunday's homily is available by email
-This Sunday's Scriptures can be found at USCCB.org
-I will be celebrating mass this weekend at 5:30, 8:00am and 9:30am
Wearing Your Heart (Faith) on your Sleeve
This week's parable of the unfruitful figtree, our Lenten psalm "harden not your hearts", our parish Lenten ministries of Souls on Fire/faith sharing and Parish Day of Service/Faith at Work all go together to prompt me to ask how do we reveal the faith that dwells in our hearts?
I believe the farewell speech of Pope Benedict gives us some insight into what is faith and how does it work:
Dear friends! God guides His Church, always sustaining her even and especially in difficult times. Let us never lose this vision of faith, which is the only true vision of the path of the Church and of the world. In our hearts, in the heart of each one of you, may there always be the joyous certainty that the Lord is beside us, that He does not abandon us, that He is near and embraces us with His love. Thank you.”
Do you possess this vision of faith?
2 comments:
Love the quote. Good pick. Just as surely God guides His Church, (love the imagery of boat from the Year of Faith banner) we have that direction also. And what we say and do should have direction. And a lot of people do not realize that we can share our direction with others in casual ways, we can wear our hearts(faith) on our sleeves.
YES, we go to Church, YES, we serve others, most of this is hidden from the people we meet in a day, and equally important is vocalizing our faith.
For myself, when I tell people I am thankful for them, I say I am "thankful to God" for them. When someone tell me about their skills, their accomplishment, etc. I add direction . . . Wow, how the Lord has blessed you! In the simple ways we communicate we not only share faith but give direction to our lives... and share it... we don't center on our ourselves we redirect . . . yes God is near & embraces us with His love.
I’ve been reflecting about “wearing your heart (faith) on your sleeve” since reading the Matador’s reflection and hearing his homily from this past weekend. I do agree that when faith is alive it almost can’t be helped but be “worn.” I think we can’t contain it – we exude it. And then I realized too, what a good thing that is. Because what does “faith on a sleeve” look like, but love – and that is such an appealing invitation to others to join in. Have you ever noticed that when you talk with another who is on fire with faith, it shows through in their eyes, in their smile, in their manner – even if they don’t speak it directly for a few sentences? And how enticing that can be for others, so that they too want to taste and see the goodness of truth and light. Compare that kind of animated conversation with talking with someone who is dour and gloomy. The latter would never be experienced as “an invitation” – or would certainly not cause a curiosity to look further with the hope of getting a share of “whatever they’ve got”.
I also like JoyF’s comment above – to be proactive in bringing reference to God into the conversation in even the simplest of ways. Letting our faith, our love, and our joy be seen – wearing it on our sleeves – is an easy way for us to allow God’s invitation to others speak to them. It can help soften hearts, while keeping ours supple at the same time.
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