Personal Formation – Page 2 – Malta Catholic Youth Network

This Christmas, Make Room

12/12/2022

I can only imagine the attentiveness of parents just before the woman gives birth. Many parents prepare the famous hospital bag weeks – if not months – before the delivery day, to make sure they are fully equipped when the moment arrives. I believe that Joseph and Mary were just as mindful before Jesus was born, while also being filled with joy and excitement. These are undoubtedly memorable moments cherished by many which make everything else seem irrelevant.

During these delicate moments, the last thing that I would want to think of is a 30-minute telephone survey by one of some statistic agencies – which have a tendency to test my nerves every so often. Joseph and Mary were not exempt from such statistical exercises; their government had in fact demanded their participation a few days before the delivery. The only difference was that the couple had to embark on a 33–hour journey between Nazareth and Bethlehem to enrol themselves. I must thank Google maps for the 33-hour calculation, though this might have been slightly different knowing the vulnerability of Mary in her last pregnancy days (if not hours) and the accompaniment of a poor donkey.

The couple had to leave their home in this vulnerable situation in order to foster responsibility and be lawful citizens.
NB: The Romans had not been a corruption-free authority either.

Am I willing to leave my comfort zones to meet my obligations towards the state/superiors?

Knowing Joseph’s profession, I can only imagine what he had been preparing to ensure that baby Jesus received a warm welcome to planet Earth. The simplest preparation that comes to mind is a comfy bed where the mother and child could rest. Yet, he had to leave everything behind to participate in such census, and the selfless woman who had just accompanied Elizabeth in her pregnancy now found herself on a physically and emotionally challenging journey with Joseph – without the warmth of that bed which her husband had planned for baby Jesus and without the warmth of their relatives’ presence.

Would I be able to sit with my own self in moments of vulnerability without being distracted by my possessions?
Would I be able to acknowledge and trust God amid my suffering?

The time for Mary to deliver arrived, and we all know how the rest of the story unfolded. The most comfortable piece of furniture found by the carpenter was nothing less than a manger, and the ones who had accompanied the couple during these joyful moments were none other than some sheep and the poor donkey. I cannot imagine how the couple must have felt at that point, after being stripped of all their plans and desires, and finding themselves in a place far from luxurious or fit for a rising king – a cave. A human disappointment. Nevertheless, God still finds His delight, especially now that He could start engaging with His beloved children through an embodied medium, in the simplest form of communication: a newborn’s cry.

Am I aware of God’s wish to reach out to me today?

Aspiring to build a space for Jesus to dwell in is wonderful; however, are these dreams replacing my thirst to meet Him? Am I so preoccupied with being sinless or with my works, that I am forgetting that this is a two-way relationship?

May this story humble us in the realisation that Jesus brings life when and wherever He wants to. He does not require us to be fully equipped; rather, He requires us to have an expectant heart. God did not choose a carpenter to satisfy His needs to sleep in a luxurious bed; rather He chose Joseph for who he was. Mary was not chosen because she was a skilful mother; He chose her because of who she was.

In the same way, God wants to encounter me and you today, not because of what we can offer, but because of who we are, for He is in love with us, despite our disappointments or failed plans. Just as He wanted to journey with Joseph and Mary, He wants to walk the journey of life with me and you.

How can I make room for Jesus this Christmas?

Universe Of Faith

30/10/2017

Did you ever ask a really big question? Did your mind ever wonder after seeing some tiny event in nature? Was your heart ever restless even though you were ok? Did you ever feel that love is infinite? If these are true, then maybe Universe of Faith is for you. Think of yourself as part of this vast universe. You do feel very very small when you do this!

Then, think again, you can ask questions about the whole universe: Where does it come from? How come it is so beautiful? How come the laws of nature allow me to understand its workings? Maybe you can even come to see that the ‘universe’ points ‘outside’ itself! That’s what the very word means: ‘towards One’.

You can think of the entire universe as a vast, beautiful Cathedral that soars above you and encircles you. Despite its vastness, you somehow feel safe… you do not feel alone. Looking at it and sensing it leads you to look both upwards till you are somehow beyond it, and inwards till you are in the depths of yourself. It is then that you could realise that you are in the presence of the mystery who is the source of all; the mystery who speaks and whose words are the very universe; the mystery who takes delight and whose pleasure is the beauty around you; the mystery who loves and whose love is both within you and around you.

If you have such a living sense of wonder; if you are not too afraid of a long but beautiful journey; if you do not mind feeling completely loved; if you want some companionship on the way … the Universe of Faith is for you. It is for you even if you consider yourself as a believer but not as belonging to the Church; even if you see yourself as somehow ‘Christian’ but do not see yourself as quite believing what the Church believes.

In this site, we see ourselves as fellow travellers who strive to share simply yet profoundly what we have discovered with all those seeking inspiration as they seek to enter their inner life; as they seek to reach out to others. We try to make more tangible the idea of finding God in all people, all things, and all events. We want to be present to one another on this journey of life that involves us all. We firmly believe that no one is really alone!

On this quest, we never want to stop searching because we know that God is so grand, so beautiful. So we are very much aware that we are never ‘there’! We know that God speaks through light and darkness, through pleasure and pain, through health and sickness. We are also very aware that we do not know God or love God enough. We are on the way. We know our fragility; we know our moods, our conflicts. We do pray that even if only once in our lives we may love God completely. And we believe that God really wants to reach out to us and labours at this continuously in our lives.

Universe of Faith is the work of people of all ages: both those who are in peaceful possession of faith and those who have left the faith or the Church. The content of this website is faithful to the Catholic faith with space for journeying, questioning, doubting, and searching. We are continuously looking for personal stories, reflections from life on Bible verses, art work, videos and more. We are interested in what’s original, new, meaningful, timely, speaks faith. If you wish to send us an item or give feedback, you are most welcome. And please do get in touch with us even if you think that you’re too young or that the story is too simple or what you say is too ordinary. We rejoice to see God in action. And we believe that God is present and acts and loves everywhere … whether we know it or not! We’ll be glad if you get in touch with us.

If you wish to contact the author of a particular writing/picture feel free to contact us on [email protected]. We are people on the move, journeying in our relationships, in our aloneness, in our communities, exploring and investing in the life-giving encounter with God who speaks personally and intimately. We want to share this with others and listen to others.

Unless noted otherwise, the material of the website is copyright free. Material uploaded is re-usable.

Universe of Faith is an initiative of the Pastoral Formation Institute, Malta.

That Unreachable Thing Called Beauty

28/08/2017

“I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.” (The Book Thief by Markus Zusak)

There must be a reason why this sentence etched itself so deeply into my memory. It doesn’t happen often, so when it does, there simply must be a good reason for it to do so. I keep finding myself returning to this sentence, each time inserting different adjectives – opposites, contradictions – that shouldn’t work together. Words such as distant and close; rich and poor; wretched and peaceful; silent and loud; real and abstract; man and God…you get the picture. In all cases, the sentence holds true.

It seems to me now, that this single sentence is somewhat of a paradigm of the entire human experience. We simply cannot understand the value of one thing without that value which tends to stand on the most distant, opposite end. Can we start to understand the truth, without identifying the non-truths; or true friendship without having suffered betrayal? Can we read a complete sentence, without knowing the value of a single letter? Can we fully appreciate the splendour of a mosaic, without considering the thousands of little glass pieces (tesserae) used to create it? I am convinced the answer is no. So how can we expect to recognise Beauty (yes, with a capital B); or Truth, or Love (all with capitals), or Oneness without first seeing (but it is an ever so small and limited a glimpse) what they are not, through the multiplicity of means and scenarios which we are offered throughout our life, daily?

I am here concerned with Beauty, but since all are connected, one will naturally and inevitably relate to the other in a practically inseparable way. Much has been written about Beauty already, and whatever has been written here has certainly been written elsewhere before. “Art,” claims Pope Francis, “is not only a witness of the beauty of Creation, but it is also an instrument of evangelisation” (‘My idea of art,’ 2015). In other words, art is both passive and active – it is one and the other, and both at the same time. Indeed, the sentence still holds true.

Art is a tool, an instrument, and for a long time in the history of art (and man), Beauty was the insufferable cause and desire of several artists and patrons. All longed for Beauty, many attempted to reach it, and all, of course, failed. Because Beauty, in this sense, is not only unreachable but also unrecognisable. Yet, and here comes the paradox, it is forever approachable. We yearn what we cannot fully have. Still we try to reach it in one way other, and often we do not realise that we are.

What we will possibly find within art is not Beauty itself, but an expression of it, a taste to wet our appetite for the actual thing. And so we ask for more, to see more and know more. But the actual thing we are then looking for, is something art cannot provide us with. It is only an instrument, not the actual music, and it is the music that we desire most to hear.

Giulia Privitelli – Pietre Vive

Throughout the summer period, Pietre Vive is offering numerous formation camps in Spain (Santiago de Compostela and Puente de la Reina), in France (on Gothic art and architecture) and Greece (on early Christian communities, between paganism and jews). Contact [email protected] for more information or [email protected] to get in touch with the local community.

Of Resounding Gongs on Christian Conscience

21/08/2017

Lately, there has been much talk about Conscience. More exactly claims about decisions taken from a Christian formed Conscience. Such claims got even an enthusiastic and “blogged opinion piece support” coming from “a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1Cor 13: 1) hijacking – as in the recent past – Christian discourse on Conscience.

The Greek word for “conscience” in the New Testament is suneidēsis, i.e. “moral wakefulness/consciousness.” In the New Testament conscience has more of a personal undertone, while in the Old Testament it is more related to the covenant community through which one relates to God and Covenantal Precepts in being friends with God. Therefore for a conscience claiming to be Christian, it has to be always informed by and formed within the Community of Faith, though personal as it may be.

Conscience is:

A God-given capacity for self-evaluation. A good conscience is clearly in accordance with morals and values based on God’s standards. A good conscience shows uprightness of heart.

2. A witness to the presence of God’s law written in our hearts and therefore it is not external to us. It is honest, leads to holiness of life and authenticity.

3. A retainer of the individual’s values yielding a strong sense of right and wrong. There is no good conscience if the latter is lacking. Conscience is clear where there is the maturity of faith and understanding. Immaturity in faith and lack of understanding leads to weak conscience. At this level, conscience is reduced to an opinion. BUT CONSCIENCE IS NOT OPINION.

A clear conscience does not smell of ulterior Pinocchian hidden motivations. It stems from the virtue purity of heart and is preserved by constant adherence to God through God’s Word and participation in the life of the Church (the community of disciples) which renews and softens our hearts.

Rev. Dr Charlo Camilleri

in Riflessjonijiet – www.ccarmel.com

Fr. Fabio’s Reflections on Preparatory Document: Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment – Part 4

18/08/2017

During the conference from ‘Krakow 2 Panama’ held in Rome in April 2017, Fr Fabio Attard SDB was asked to share his thoughts on the third part of the Preparatory Document For The 15th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops “Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment”. We seriously encourage those involved in youth ministry to read his sharing as it is full of insight. The article will be split into 4 parts and we will upload two parts a week. For those who have not yet had the chance to read the preparatory document please click the following links: Maltese – English

Here’s Part 4 of Fr Fabio reflections on the Preparatory Document: Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment. If you haven’t read part 1, 2 & 3, please click here.

4. Courage

Taking up this last point – the means of expression in pastoral work, educative care and the path of evangelization, silence, contemplation and prayer – here we have a challenge that Pope Francis deals with in EG:

Youth ministry, as traditionally organized, has also suffered the impact of social changes. Young people often fail to find responses to their concerns, needs, problems and hurts in the usual structures. As adults, we find it hard to listen patiently to them, to appreciate their concerns and demands, and to speak to them in a language they can understand. For the same reason, our efforts in the field of education do not produce the results expected (EG 105).

With this reflection, we close the circle that we started commenting on the first point: walking with young people. Being part of the journey of the young means understanding their language which is much more than pure vocabulary. The language of ministry on the one hand demands from us to inhabit and get in tune with the world of young people, but even more so it asks us also to tune with their searching hearts. If we are called to understand the language of young people, we must first be able to understand and decipher their silence, their loneliness, the sense of their research. To live with the humility of the pilgrim and the patience of being a true companion is the greatest and the most appreciated gift young people are looking for.

From this humble incarnation in their world that we propose paths of evangelization that can educate towards the sense of the sacred, an evangelization which offers a pedagogy that leads to the discovery of the divine. The sacred and the transcendent are rooted in the hearts of young people. It is up to us educators to promote the right conditions for this desire not to be overtaken by shallowness, suffocated by banality or betrayed by proposals that are only seemingly spiritual.
In a dialogue with young people during his apostolic visit to the United Kingdom, in 2010, Pope Benedetto XVI comments how the hearts of young people are already predisposed towards the goodness and beauty:
Not only does God love us with a depth and an intensity that we can scarcely begin to comprehend, but he invites us to respond to that love. You all know what it is like when you meet someone interesting and attractive, and you want to be that person’s friend. You always hope they will find you interesting and attractive, and want to be your friend. God wants your friendship. And once you enter into friendship with God, everything in your life begins to change. As you come to know him better, you find you want to reflect something of his infinite goodness in your own life. You are attracted to the practice of virtue (17th September 2010).

In this sense, and with this in mind, we must reflect on the following challenge: how to propose to young people, gradually and with respect to their rhythms, experiences of silence and contemplation, prayer and adoration? It would be helpful for us to ask ourselves where do fear and resistance, that sometimes we encounter at this stage, originate from?

Conclusion
I conclude with the same invitation that leaves us the Blessed Paul VI at the end of EN with a very simple and direct language:
May the world of our time, trying, sometimes with anguish, sometimes with hope, to receive the Good News not from evangelizers who are dejected, discouraged, impatient or anxious, but from ministers of the Gospel whose lives glow with fervor, who have first received in the joy of Christ, and who are willing to stake their lives so that the kingdom may be proclaimed and the Church established in the heart of the world
May the world of our time, which is searching, sometimes with anguish, sometimes with hope, be enabled to receive the Good News not from evangelizers who are dejected, discouraged, impatient or anxious, but from ministers of the Gospel whose lives glow with fervour, who have first received the joy of Christ, and who are willing to risk their lives so that the kingdom may be proclaimed and the Church established in the midst of the world (EN n.80).

Fr Fabio Attard SDB

If you haven’t read part 1, 2 & 3, please click here.

Fr. Fabio’s Reflections on Preparatory Document: Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment – Part 3

14/08/2017

Here’s Part 3 of Fr Fabio reflections on the Preparatory Document: Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment. If you haven’t read part 1 & 2, please click here.

3. Processes
A youth ministry that leaves its mark in the lives of young people is a youth that is definitely based on processes in the various places where it happens. We know that we always run the risk of limiting our youth ministry proposal built only around events. It is a constant temptation. A valuable youth ministry is inspired and guided by the belief that the constant and systematic group experience is one that ultimately leaves an imprint on the ordinary life of the young. The group experience favours an environment that educates, a community that accompanies, a proposal that supports and strengthens those small choices that every day we are called to make.

The idea of the journey, the group experience, the feeling of being identified with other young people, creates an environment in which convergence between the Gospel and culture is born. In Evangelii Nuntiandi Blessed Paul VI has identified here the central challenge, that between the Gospel and everyday life, between the Gospel and culture, defining it as “the tragedy of our time” (EN 20).

Consequently, when we talk about processes we are referring to all those places, spaces and opportunities where the group experience has the potential to gradually generate a culture of a living faith, joyful, beautiful. One way of being able to gradually interpret history in the light of the Gospel.

It is within these seemingly small processes, in a very silent manner, where the seeds of a frame of mind and belief are sown, that later find in great gatherings, like the World Youth Days, a visibility that strengthens those small moments of everyday ministry. In addition, this daily routine should be strengthened by the backbone of generosity to the poor, by the experiences of volunteering, among which we find the experience of missionary volunteering.

Let us not be misled by the false fear that can convince us that our young people are not ready to respond to demanding and solid pastoral and spiritual proposals. Rather, we must have the courage to ask ourselves if sometimes it is not us adults who project on our young people those fears that we do not recognize, let alone deal with.

Here we need to encounter the challenge of the digital world. It is prophetic how more that 40 years ago Blessed Paul VI in EN commented the issue of adaptation and fidelity of language:
Evangelization loses much of its force and effectiveness if it does not take into consideration the actual people to whom it is addresses, if it does not use their language, their signs and symbols, if it does not answer the questions they ask, and if it does not have an impact on their concrete life (EN n.63).

Fr Fabio Attard SDB

If you haven’t read part 1 & 2, please click here

Fr. Fabio’s Reflections on Preparatory Document: Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment – Part 2

11/08/2017

Here’s Part 2 of Fr Fabio reflections on the Preparatory Document: Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment. If you haven’t read part 1, please click here, or the image below.

2. Communion and pastoral leadership

Real youth ministry does not imagine or perceive young people as patients needing care! In the pastoral journey of the Church young people are at the same time objects and subjects of ministry, like the Church itself, which evangelized by Christ while and evangelizing Christ!

First, we must look to the young, especially the poorest and those most in need, even the most wretched among them, with the certainty that in the heart of each one there is an accessible point of goodness. It is the duty of each educator and evangelizer to discover this space of goodness, this sensitive cord of the heart and make it vibrate, because even in the most unfortunate cases, the most rebellious and difficult young people, there are strings can vibrate life.

Second, it is important that we are guided by the conviction that bringing the good news is not a privilege of a few, but the invitation offered to all. In Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis acknowledges that “even if it is not always easy to approach young people, progress has been made in two areas: the awareness that the entire community is called to evangelize and educate the young, and the urgent need for the young to exercise greater leadership” (106). With this conviction, today more than ever, we can never give up the goal that sees young people as apostles of other youth.

One of the features that is deeply felt in the youth charismatic experiences is the growth within the hearts of young people not only of the joy of faith in Jesus Christ, but more so the desire that the faith received is also shared, from evangelized to evangelizing. It is a consoling duty to offer young people this high standard of ordinary Christian living as commented by Saint John Paul II at the end of the Holy Year in Novo Millennio Ineunte (NMI)

“The time has come to re-propose wholeheartedly to everyone this high standard of ordinary Christian living: the whole life of the Christian community and of Christian families must lead in this direction. It is also clear however that the paths to holiness are personal and call for a genuine “training in holiness”, adapted to people’s needs. This training must integrate the resources offered to everyone with both the traditional forms of individual and group assistance, as well as the more recent forms of support offered in associations and movements recognized by the Church” (NMI n.31).

Fr Fabio Attard SDB

Haven’t read part 1, please click here.

Fr. Fabio’s Reflections on Preparatory Document: Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment – Part 1

07/08/2017

PRESENTATION OF PART III OF THE PREPARATORY DOCUMENT
FOR THE 15th ORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS
“YOUTH, FAITH AND VOCATIONAL DISCERNMENT”

Part III of the Preparatory Document (PD), Pastoral Activity, could be an easy victim of a purely operational interpretation of the ongoing process towards the Synod Young People, the Faith and Vocation Discernment. Such a summary conclusion is not complete; it is just superficial. Seen in its entirety, Part III of the PD presupposes and builds on the first two parts. Being convinced that pastoral action cannot be thought of as if it were a thing to do, we ask ourselves how can this part help us strengthen the pastoral work as an answer within the overall pastoral journey?

Part III lays open before us several specific challenges that must be read and discussed in the light of the broader journey of the Church. I offer some thoughts around 4 points that help us capture well this Part III and take advantage of the proposals it contains. I propose that we read Part III in the light of 4 perspectives that correspond to sub-titles it contains.

1. Empathy
The first point carries the theme; ‘Walking with Young People’. It is crucial to see the subject in light of the EG (Evangelii Gaudium). The three verbs used – going out, seeing, calling – are the synthesis of EG. And it is precisely in the light of the EG that the journey of youth ministry should be thought and lived.
And here we have a first challenge: the urgent need for us to keep EG as our compass. The importance of studying it well so that it remains a light that guides our pastoral steps: “going beyond a preconceived framework, encountering young people where they are, adapting to their times and pace of life and taking them seriously” is a result of pastoral empathy choice.
Pastoral empathy that shows up in the “willingness to spend time with them, to listen to the story of their lives and to be attentive to their joys, hopes, sadness and anxieties; all in an effort to share them. This leads to the enculturation of the Gospel and for the Gospel to enter every culture, even among young people.”

Going out, seeing, and calling as a pastoral attitude that becomes both a method and a journey. A life’s choice that is the result of the courage to get out of outdated and rigid patterns, the usual “we have always done so.” A choice that joyfully realizes the aspirations and hopes of the young, but also a choice that allows one to be challenged by the suffering and disappointments that they, the young people are paying too high a price.

Only when we prophetically go out and with humility we encounter the story of our young people, then we can be credible. Our words, our proposals have already been listened to and evaluated by young people before they are even spoken or heard. They are experts in judging whether our presence among them is the result of real empathy or just a barren and dry physical one. Walking with the young is beautiful but also demanding. They ask us to accompany them to the truth, but with charity. Our journey with young people is the expression of the journeying Church, the bride of Christ. It is like Christ that we as a Church journey with the young.

These two points, patient and empathic listening, and the journey of the Church, are well summarized in the EG:
As adults, we find it hard to listen patiently to them, to appreciate their concerns and demands, and to speak to them in a language they can understand. For the same reason, our efforts in the field of education do not produce the results expected. The rise and growth of associations and movements mostly made up of young people can be seen as the work of the Holy Spirit, who blazes new trails to meet their expectations and their search for a deep spirituality and a more real sense of belonging. There remains a need, however, to ensure that these associations actively participate in the Church’s overall pastoral efforts (EG n.105).

Fr Fabio Attard SDB

10 Steps to an Authentic Christian Life

05/01/2017

I wonder if you have ever come across someone who speaks of nothing but Jesus – in an apocalyptic tone. It seems that the end of the world is so close, that nothing seems to matter much other than Jesus and the afterlife. Not only, but Jesus is spoken of as one who is easily offended by the things we do, and that he awaits for our becoming better, on our own, or else we will be doomed for eternity. Have you ever reflected on such an approach? Do you find this apocalyptic approach to faith attractive? To tell you the truth, to me it isn’t. Don’t misunderstand me. I consider faith in Jesus Christ as central to my life, and to the life of any Christian believer. And that faith should affect life in its entirety.

But if not constant talk on Jesus, what kind of life can be considered a true Christian life? I would like to share with you these 10 steps (in no particular order) which I have learnt along the way; steps which have helped me greatly in both growing closer to God, and to his people.

Step 1: We are One

Every time I look at someone, all I see is a human figure. I do not see a spirit, but a physical body. Yes, we do have a body, and, it being created is a holy thing in and of itself, if we consider God’s creation as divine doing. In other words, we cannot bypass our physical reality. Many a time, throughout history, Christians looked down upon their bodies, founding their argument on St Paul. In Galatians 5, 13-18 the Apostle speaks how the flesh (sarx) works against the spirit (soma). This is a misreading of Paul, as he is not talking of the human body here but of the distorted cravings humanity experiences such as pride or impure sexual desires. Consequently, many Christians do not consider the body essential to one’s life of faith, since for them, faith is something of the soul and not of the body. However, we are one; body, mind and spirit. And we have the responsibility to care for all the three accordingly. Thus, we need to respect and care for our bodies. A good healthy diet together with some form of exercise do not only keep us fit but they also help in the overall care of our mind and soul. The mind too needs special care and attention. Just think of a thought which cannot leave your mind, and how this affects you day after day. It is thus important to keep our emotions under control, by venting them out with significant others, both friends and more competent persons. It is important to note is that Jesus did not come to save souls, but human beings in their totality!

Step 2: Yes, We have a Soul Too

Only with an awareness of our physical and mental reality can we take care of the soul in a fuller way. If not, we run the risk of constantly flying into faith; and flight into faith is not really a good faith (faith is not a magical problem-solver but a journey, a way of life). And so, each person is invited to pray, to build and hold a relationship with God through Christ. This is what prayer is; and all that we do – such as Bible reading, attending mass, adoration, worship and saying the rosary – falls under this relationship with God. Together with our talking to God, we are also invited to examine our conscience. In other words, we are invited to reflect upon our words, deeds and actions and see if these reflect our being Christians. (Prayer is obviously more important than physical exercise, but what I want to present here is Christian life as a whole.)

Step 3: Oh, We have a Character Too!

We all enjoy the company of a person whose character we consider as nice , pleasant, cheerful and well-balanced. And one of the fundamental missions of a Christian is that of being a witness, a good advertisement for Christ and his Church. Now what makes a good ad, if not its appeal to what it presents? Similarly, the Christian is expected to be a beautiful balanced mixture of body-mind-soul. Then, we can say that the whole package of body, mind and soul, comes forward into what we refer to as character. A beautiful character is primarily achieved through self-acceptance, a balanced lifestyle, a sense of gratitude and an acceptance of life as-it-comes, living in the present moment as much as possible and an overall contentment.

Step 4: Expanding the Mind

“Read if you want to get good grades at school.” Don’t we all know that phrase all too well?! It is because those responsible for our education know how important reading is for our path of life. So, for the Christian, it is also important to enrich oneself with a variety of reading, that is, from novels to history books, from books about science to books about the faith, from self-help literature to biographies and lives of saints. Rather than being gullible, the committed believer is invited to be challenged, even by the difficult arguments and to keep on searching for answers (not the quick ones … those are normally immature answers).

Step 5: The Christian is a Giver

But what will a balanced life serve for? Becoming a better person is fundamental but if we stop at that, then we have a problem. The Christian is expected to live a life of love, which results in compassion, kindness, tenderness, understanding, patience, sympathy, forgiveness, hospitality, and service. My actions need to reflect my faith, that which I confess to believe in. It is paramount that we learn how to give and not only to receive. The more we practice a life of giving, the better Christians we become.

Step 6: Together

As just noted, the Christian lives within a larger reality, journeying towards God along with the rest of the world. In other words, how are we to love God, if not by loving other people? And how are we to know of God’s love if we do not know of other people’s love for us? The Christian lives in a community, wherein one shares one’s faith and finds one’s sense of belonging. This is expressed through a living participation within the church. For us Catholics, our life of faith is expressed along with others in the Sunday Eucharist, partaking in the sacraments, sharing of our faith and our lives as one big family. Along with this, Christians are expected to serve others together, as one church.

Step 7: Discernment

Life is full of choices. We are constantly being faced with small and big decisions, nd it is expected of us to always choose the better option. Whether it is merely going to school by bus or cycling it, to more important decisions such as the friends I choose to be with, what subjects I choose at school, to other issues such as how to vote and how I should speak to parents or teachers. And throughout life, such questions will never cease to arise. Now, since faith does not only affect one’s life while in church or during worship, but affects all of one’s life, the Christian is invited to put on the “specs” of faith before the many decisions one is challenged with. Here we need discernment. What this means is that Christians are invited to try and understand what it is that God wants. This of course is not needed in trivial decisions, such as how do I go to school, but on the more important decisions we do need to discern. First, I need to weigh both ends of the spectrum and see the pros and cons in each possibility and then I go to God and ask for enlightenment on which is the preferred option, that will help me on my journey of growth and service. Enlightenment is sought through personal prayer with scriptures, readings in the liturgy and homilies, good books which deal with the related decision and spiritual direction.

Step 8: Personal Calling

Then of course, there is the most important discernment of one’s life: what has God created me for? What is it that he wants from me? Unfortunately, such discernment is usually related to clerical and religious vocations. It is more often heard that someone is discerning the life of a friar, a nun or a priest, but few seem to be discerning the married life, and whether one’s partner is the right one indeed. Vocational discernment (by vocational meaning all forms of life, including marriage or single life) becomes the pinnacle of the Christian, because belief in a God who has plans for me, will result in me wanting to know what these plans are.

Step 9: Ongoing Conversion

If each person is on a journey to become better at something, be it a better person, a better musician, a better lawyer, a better dancer, a better carpenter, a better painter, and so on, one needs to accept constant challenges and face them head on, in order to become better at one’s area. The same can be said of the Christian. For one to become a better Christian, a holy person, one needs to continually endeavour to a life of conversion; that is, constantly choosing what is good over sin. Through prayer, discernment and examination of conscience, we constantly face barriers which we can either choose to stop at or else to overcome them and move forward along the journey.

Step 10: Abandonment, Trust and Hope

Ultimately, it boils down to abandonment in God; but as I have already noted in the beginning, abandonment does not mean staying only on the receiving end and doing nothing. I have invited you to do a lot of things, but by this I do not mean that we are going to save ourselves by our doing. We do because we are not babies anymore and our faith needs to mature as we mature into the stages of life. During our teenage years, we are invited to live a teenage faith but the more we grow into adulthood, the more our faith is to mature.

Yet the underlying attitude in whatever we do needs to be that of abandonment, of trust and hope in him who owns everything, who rules everything and who loves us beyond compare, so much so, that he is worthy to be trusted completely with our lives. It is important to note that the Christian understanding of hope is not that everything turns out as I want it, but that whatever turns out, God will use it for my progress. Faith is a journey of wholeness; in other words, becoming holy means becoming whole. And from my experience, this is what following Jesus is all about.

Br Jethro Bajada OFM Cap