Have you ever noticed how often Jesus insists that our following of him is not so much in our consent or words but in our actions? We might, at times, be tempted to think that the words we say, or the Creed we profess, encapsulate our following of Jesus. Words of profession are important but the rubber hits the road in our actions. It is our actions that bring the Creed alive, not the other way
around.
Jesus tells his disciples that those - no matter who they are - who give a cup of water to someone who thirsts, in his name, will have their reward. Our faith is made manifest in our good deeds.
One of the struggles, it seems, is that we can lapse into the misguided idea that if I follow the formulas and ensure I receive the Sacraments then I am “living my faith” and
all is ok. This gives us a false sense of what living faith means. Jesus invites us to more. He invites the formulas we use and the Sacraments we receive to become concrete in our expressions of care, concern, and service to others.
So often we say we are too busy, perhaps, to add yet another “thing” to what we are doing. Jesus invites us to follow him, to make him the centre of our lives, and therefore, to make his concerns our
concerns. Service of others, in whatever way, without any reward, is how he invites us to follow him and live our faith in him.
There are many ways we can serve others - whether that is teaching the faith in Sunday school or catechism, working in a soup kitchen, forming couples for marriage, or visiting the sick and elderly.
In what ways, at this time of your life,
might God be inviting you to put your faith into action - through concrete acts of service? You might want to look at the ways your local faith community serves others and decide in which way you could assist.
Reflections by Russell Pollitt
SJ
