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  • Nairobi archbishop declines Kenyan president’s donations to Catholic parish
    Archbishop Philip Anyolo of the Nairobi Archdiocese in Kenya. / Credit: Nairobi Archdiocese ACI Africa, Nov 20, 2024 / 17:30 pm (CNA). The archbishop of Kenya’s Archdiocese of Nairobi has turned down financial donations that the country’s president offered to a Catholic parish, stating that the Church will not be compromised by offers from politicians […]

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  • How Should We Respond on the Precipice of War? November 21, 2024
    If you were enjoying a quiet Sunday without technology, you may have missed the most dangerous news headline of our generation: “Biden Authorizes the Ukraine to Use U.S. Long-Range Missiles in Russian Territory.” Quietly, on the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, when we as a Church contemplated Christ’s return, tribulation, and hardship, our sitting president […]
    Constance T. Hull

Do you Believe?

Posted On December 19, 2021

In Advent, we reflect upon Jesus’ first coming and again, his second coming when he will come in glory with his angels. During our lifetime, we come to believe many things and live our lives according to those beliefs. As Catholics, we profess our belief in God at least weekly, but how do we live that out in our lives? When we go from the Church at Mass and go into the world, how real is our sharing and living out those beliefs we profess. As this year comes to a close, consider what you believe at the core of your being and take time to reflect.

In the creed, we profess our belief in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the trinity. We profess the truth of each of them and our belief in the one true church established by Jesus and our hope in the eternal life to come. But do we really live this out moment by moment and do we share our belief in God with others. Recently a Pew report stated that only 51% of Catholics pray now, down 8% from last year. I think sometimes that surveys don’t always reflect the reality of God in our lives. We may struggle in our lives, but if we allow what we profess to sink into our hearts and minds, we can be changed in ways that draw us close to God. It means taking stock of where we are and allowing time for God in our lives.

One of the teachings about our beliefs is “Those who belong to Christ through faith and Baptism must confess their baptismal faith before men.” (CCC 14) If you really believe something, you normally will share it with others. You want others to understand why you believe something and what it means to you. Think of the physicist who has studied the stars and physics behind the universe. If you have read their writings, they are very detailed and if you have been at a conference, they will tell you all about what they believe. The same is true in our daily lives. Whatever work we do, whether in a home, in government or in business, there are those whose beliefs are strong and they will go to great lengths to try to help others to come to understand their beliefs. Ultimately, how we live this out impacts the way we think and live.

Someone told me once that while we see a hot burner, we may not believe it will burn us until we touch it and are convinced that what they said is true. We, as humans, want to experience things for ourselves and make decisions based upon those experiences. I could tell you of how I came to know Christ and the miracle it took for me to come to that point or I could tell you that I have seen legs grow, blind eyes open, the deaf hear, etc., but you might not believe until you see it for yourself. It is like the woman at the well. After she met Jesus, she went to her town to tell others, but it was not until they also experienced Jesus, and then said “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.” (John 4:42). It is only when we have shared with others and they seek God themselves that they come to faith and believe.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” So what happens when we don’t have those kinds of experiences? Do we look at the facts and on those facts alone, put stock in what we read about God and then trust in a way that leads us to this kind of faith. When Jesus lived here on the earth, he told his disciples, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (John 20:29) I believe those who put their trust in God, without experiencing anything, may come to be the greatest witnesses of the truth. This world is passing away, yet we are alive and have the opportunity to reflect and decide what we really believe. It is then up to each one of us to live this out in our lives, share it with others and let them also make the decision for themselves for what they believe.

May this time of Advent lead you to Jesus, who came to this earth to show us the Father and may you experience the Holy Spirit, who brings the love of God to each of us. I pray this year will bring a new reality of God in your life and that you do experience God in a real and concrete way. May it lead you to the love, joy and peace the Holy Spirit desires to bring you.

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