Whenever October rolls around, I know that we are officially in the season of autumn. Even if some of the days are hot, I know that winter is right around the corner. Programs and projects are in full swing at parishes. The days are filled with lots of activity. In the midst of all that, we are reminded to keep the faith, but more importantly to use the power of love and self-control as we go about our daily lives.
When we examine the events around us, we could become depressed or anxious and perhaps even adopt a laissez-faire attitude believing that we are powerless to fight against violence, destruction or discord. However, this is a kind of “hardening of our hearts” in that we refuse to trust in God’s promises to us. Instead of becoming complacent in the face of difficulty, we should become more pro-active. In other words, faith is not a noun but a verb. Faith is not something we have; rather, it is something we do.
When we are faithful, we are spurred onto action. The Word of God issues forth from us in works of charity and justice. We do not merely preach about God; we live God. Most parishes around the United States have dozens of opportunities to live our faith and to allow our belief to become actualized by our actions. If we truly want our faith to increase, we must put our faith into action. It is similar to what Dr. Seuss talked about in the “Grinch Who Stole Christmas.” When the Grinch learned to love, his heart grew larger. The more we love, the bigger our heart becomes. The more we exercise our beliefs, the deeper our faith becomes.
