For years, while working at
Habitat for Humanity of Brevard County, the organization, had the dream of moving
into a large enough space to consolidate our family support services,
construction program & retail operation onto one large campus. As the Board strategized the ideal location
there was a common mantra for the success: Location, Location, Location. Where do we put our operations that would be
accessible for the families we served; What location would be logistically
sound for our construction management throughout Brevard; and where would we locate
the retail operation to ensure the greatest community exposure for the store
and ministry?
In my faith life, I have come to
believe that “success” (growing deeper in my relationship with God) also has a mantra:
Practice, Practice, Practice. Doctors practice medicine; lawyers practice
law. These professions, among others, require
continuing education to keep up with the latest professional developments. Athletes and musicians are always practicing
so they can be the best athlete or musician possible.[1] How do you get to the NFL, NBA, or Carnegie
Hall? Practice, Practice, Practice.
In conversations with those I
often meet in the community, occasionally they will say something to suggest
they are Catholic, so I ask, are you a Catholic? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the
response, “Yes, but I’m not a practicing Catholic.” What does being a “practicing Catholic” mean? How do you practice your faith?
Yesterday’s Gospel taught the
importance of hearing and doing what Jesus taught. Yet today we hear of two blind men doing
exactly the opposite of what Jesus had instructed. This may be confusing, at
face value, until we remember that Matthew’s source, portrays the mystery of
Jesus’ identity as key and linked essentially to faith. The blind men caught up with Jesus “when he
got to the house,” a symbol for the Church, the community of faith. Come to understand that faith is the entrance
into the mystery of Christ.[2]
So, to “practice” our faith can
mean being active, involved, committed, and enthusiastic. It can also mean following, observing, and
living out our profession, our passion, our faith. In Isaiah, we are comforted in hearing that
our healing will come when we walk in the way of the Lord. Such walking requires “practice.” The concern is that we become complacent in
our “practice”, thinking I come to daily Mass, safe within the walls of the
church, with people of a shared faith tradition. Practice is a means to stretch ourselves to becoming
a better Catholic. The real challenges
of practicing our faith is in the world, outside of the security of these walls
and nurturing community.
As we prepare to participate in
this Eucharistic mystery, let’s ask ourselves, “how can we better practice our
faith and follow the Lord’s way,” so that we might become the light that draws
others to begin or reengage in the "practice" of their faith.
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