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It is hard to believe that we are already in May! Hard
to believe that Spring is well underway, and that college
kids are packing up their belongings and heading home for
the summer. Hard to believe that in just a few short
weeks, local schools will be letting out for the summer, and
kids will be looking for things to do. With Spring in the parish, comes great celebrations of First Eucharist and Confirmation, as well as baptisms for newly born and not so young sons and daughters. These are great times to honor the gift of life and as well as the gift of faith, and as I have found so many of my thoughts in homilies running toward these days, a more active focus on our living faith. Faith is to be lived each day, not just spoken about or acted upon on Sundays. Lived faith is to be the goal of everyone who touts themselves to be Christian, who claims "Catholic" as their religion. This is especially true in regards to those who have the awesome privilege and responsibility of being a sponsor or godparent for one who is being baptized and confirmed. Many requests come to me these days as the sacramental season reaches full tilt, and it gives me opportunity to encourage a fuller practice of claimed faith from those who wish to fulfill this great role in the life of one who needs the best of examples. And sometimes requests for a "Sponsor Certificate" cannot be honored, by me at least, leaving I fear a sense of disappointment and sometimes anger "at the Church". For a Sponsor Certificate to be signed by me, the person whose name is on the certificate needs a) to be a current parishioner of St. Theresa or St. Christopher parish, not their parents, grandparents, but they themselves, b) actively participating in at least Mass each week, and hopefully more of the life of the parish than just one hour a week, c) if married, married in the Catholic church, and if not married, not living as if they were. In short, if a person is not practicing the faith that we understand to be "Catholic", then how can they be able to stand up publically and say they want to be an example of Catholic living to the person being sponsored? How can I "vouch" for them? So spread the word! Our faith is alive, and daring us to live it more fully. It dares us to be active, both in word and in deed. |
