Dr Jenette Pinto –
A retreatant once asked his spiritual advisor, “I have many atheist companions, what should I say to convince them on my faith which is Truth?” The reply he received was simple but surprising. “Nothing! The last thing you need to do is say something. Start to live, and they, seeing your witness, will ask you, ‘Why do you live this way?’”. Faith must be transmitted, not by convincing but by offering a treasure, and then pointing to the Bible he added, “It is in there, all you need to do is share it.”
Our Faith begins at Baptism when we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to become prophet, priest and king. It calls and empowers us for the mission of sharing Jesus. The sacrament of Confirmation confirms and strengthens the initiation process. Faith is the best gift parents can give their children for that will take them all through life smoothly understanding God’s ways. The core of Christian faith is – Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and our mission is to constantly walk in the footsteps of Jesus and make Him known.
Our faith is formed when we live as disciples of Jesus in our everyday lives at home, at work, in our faith community, and in the world. Every action, experience, or relationship that nurtures a transformative relationship of trust with God, shapes the way we see and interact with God’s world. Faith formation is important because it promotes an active conscience. Jesus’ moral teaching is an integral part of his message in living and leading a good Christian life.
Another important ingredient is Humility. Saint Peter spoke about it in (1 Pt 5:5). “Wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favour the humble.” Our faith cannot be compromised. How many times in the history of the Church have movements and aggregations been born, of men and women who wanted to convince others to convert them to true proselytes by deviations. And how did they end? In a fiasco or corruption.
There are four pillars of faith formation, namely the human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral which are used to guide the formation of Catholic priests and deacons throughout the world. Jesus’ entire life, death and Resurrection were an offering to his Father. His prayer was always directed toward his Father, and when the Apostles asked him to teach us to pray, Jesus gave us the prayer of filial love by addressing God as “Abba” or “Our Father.”
As Christian disciples we are called to reflect the love of God to the evil doer gently, so as to shame him with nonviolence. Retaliation increases pain and anger; forgiveness embraces love and peace. Magis in Latin means “more” or “greater” is related to ad majorem Dei gloriam, a phrase meaning “for the greater glory of God”. Magis refers to the philosophy of doing more for Christ, and therefore doing more for others. Let us accept the kind invitation of Jesus and give more, be more, do more and love more from our hearts to qualify for discipleship.
Evangelisation means bringing the Good News to all strata of humanity, and through its influence transform from within to make it new. To evangelise is first of all to bear witness in a simple and direct way to God revealed by Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit; that in his Son God has loved the world; that in his Incarnate Word he has given His being to all and has called every man and woman to the glory of eternal life. It is the greatest love story ever told. (John 3:16)
There are a few things one can do to make Jesus known, like carry your Bible with you everywhere. A good idea is to wear clothing or jewelry that advertises your faith namely, a cross, a biblical verse on your T shirt. Be open about your faith, share your salvation story, faith-based movies, music, and books with friends. Post biblical verses on social media, present friends with Bibles on their birthdays. Conversion is something that must be voluntary, individual, and obtained by a desire to know the truth, although preaching and example was how Christianity spread during the first centuries.
Faith is opening of one’s life to a transcendent dimension to God, a surrender to grace which can transform the whole of a person’s life. The sermon on the Mount is at the heart of Jesus’ teaching. It may appear contrary to the grain of this world, but God’s nature is unfathomable. Love and Forgiveness is the epitome of God. No other religion teaches about love for one’s enemies, and reconciling broken relationships through forgiveness. Prayer, almsgiving and fasting are also the hall mark of Christian living. So, lets uphold the values of the Kingdom of God, make Jesus known and transform the world we live in.
Dr. Jeanette Pinto is a retired educator and a member of the Archdiocesan Human Life Committee, Bombay. She also leads a Church ministry for widows at her Parish. She is an author of several inspirational books and articles.