Today will we find the faith we lost?

The thought that anyone can lose the faith that comes from belief in God. Yet, every day there are those who, in spite of continued Church attendance and receiving the Eucharist frequently, fall away from their faith through adherence to the evil that has a strong pull on their trust in Christ. Can this happen to those who seem to be part of the Church affiliates who always appear to be solid in their faith? Unfortunately, the attraction of falling once or many times can have a negative outlook on the best of solid Christians. But losing their faith is not a certainty for anyone who never loses their trust in God.

What appears to be a loss in faith is when the person who falls because of sin’s attraction does not get back up and come back to the mercy of God. Proverbs states the premise which says, “For the just man falls seven times and rises again.” (Prv 24: 16). God will not punish us when we fall, but will try to send someone or some positive occurrence which will say to us, “get up and move beyond this mistake due to weakness.” Therefore, any failure will not prove to be a loss of faith as long as we believe that what Christ did for us on the Cross is plenty of truth that he came to forgive us not to condemn.

If only we can convince those who appear to have lost their faith, because of a sin, are the closest to God in their lack of understanding to the Passion of Christ. I mentioned a ministry as a chaplain for Women in Early Recovery I ministered with. The first woman that I encountered told me “there are three things I could never be forgiven for, and I have done all three, so why should I attend these sessions?” My response was whoever told her that was wrong and she was already forgiven, like a confession of misled advice. I often wonder how many people have been told the same thing and are afraid to seek God’s forgiveness, believing they are already condemned?

My question is will anyone who has lost their faith find it; not if they have the desire to find the answer to God’s love to come after the sick, not the righteous? (Mk 2: 17).

It isn’t just the uninformed that evangelization is needed, it is those that have heard heretical advice and if they are not discovered may end up becoming souls with damaged hearts. It was the grace of God that led me to this need with the women, many who needed God’s love and mercy.

Faith is a gift and we’ll find it once we trust in what Christ did for you and me. This is what Mary, the woman at POWER where I was a chaplain, who found forgiveness after being released from a heretical misnomer that could’ve been her disastrous fall from grace without any effort on her part.

Ralph B. Hathaway