Have we become complacent in our faith?

Have we become complacent in our Faith?

That may seem to be a far-out comment when we see many people in Church, although far less than in years before.  However, we know that Church attendance has lessened with all denominations and the dwindling numbers of seminary applications has dropped as well.  Our concern is not just with fewer men seeking the priesthood, but the very acquiescence of what Christianity holds for many who have found other ways of finding God; if indeed that still remains a priority today.  Part of that scenario appeared when the Covid reality hit our nation and many churches were required to limit worship services.

I recently wrote about how many people may need to be evangelized, especially our future leaders; our children.   But beyond that group it may be our very selves that are at a critical point where a modern look at worship has become status quo.  Pray to an entity that suits our present need with money or pleasure, and perhaps Church on a part-time basis.

When someone close to us is hospitalized with a threatening affliction, Catholics will spring into action with rosaries and asking God for his healing.  Sometimes this health problem becomes God’s way of bringing people together, and perhaps for some of them a way back to a faith that has waned.

When I was in the hospital, three years ago with Covid, the family all went to rosaries and of course in spite of my diagnosis I recovered after 12 days in the ICU.  Recently one of our sons was taken to the hospital because of shallow breathing.  He was said to have heart arrhythmia.  They worked with trying to stabilize the irregular heartbeats and he will be released as soon as that occurs.  Again, the prayers of a faithful family went into action.  Both of these incidents were covered by family members who have not become complacent in their faith.  As with Covid-19 many people wanted to get to Church but were stopped by government policies.  Toiday, we must, as a praying community, get beyond others in control of keeping our faith minimized, and remove any complacency from our faith in God, and our stern compassion towards what that really means to us.  We are Catholic (including  other denominations) and our basic understanding of God and his everlasting grace must always stand as first in a nation that has attempted to pull us down.  

Again, we must recognize that for too many faith is something we adhere to if it fits into our modern acceptance of how we see God.  We’ve decided what faith means to us and if God is in agreement with our synopsis then we’re both on the same page.  However, the book God uses has no footnotes leading to our ideas as gospel truth.  Anyone with those thoughts needs to read God’s book and understand his definition of what faith means in his world. 

Complacency has no part in this gift of faith so generously given to you and I.

Ralph B. Hathaway