My time in Russia has been a time of great faith building and a time of great faith testing. I have been in a crisis of faith on a number of occasions and each time the Lord shows a way through it. I bless the Lord for this knowledge and want to share some with you because there are many of you who are in a crisis, coming out of a crisis or ready to go into a crisis and have no idea what to do. I have cried out so many times these words: “God help me!”
he following column is a response from Father Michael Shields to a reader (Suzy) who took issue with several points from his December column “After a bad start finish your life well.” The reader questioned whether there was any scriptural support for the Catholic teaching that Mary is the “Queen of Heaven.” She also drew issue with a section of Father Shields’ column in which he recounts how a man prayed to Mary. The reader claimed that praying to the saints is unbiblical.
Christ teaches that the church is to live in this created world, but in such a way that it does not embrace or accept sin. Instead the church embraces the world and heals it by proclaiming the kingdom of God. The world, you see, is broken and needs healing. Our call is not to condemn the world but to save it. God has chosen us for this very task. He has chosen us to live during this time and in this culture with all its flaws.
I am turning 65 this month and a lovely question has come to me: “How do I want to finish this life?” We all may have had some bad starts along the way but the Christian Gospel says we can make a great finish.
I can’t fix Russia because in reality I can’t fix my life either. I can only surrender it. We can’t fix our brokenness with a new seminar, book or resolution. It is too much and too deep for us to fix. We must surrender our brokenness to the One who has come for the broken.
Brokenness is something I know a lot about. Maybe we all do. We speak about brokenness in many ways. Broken promises. Broken hearts. Broken marriages. Broken lives. Broken bodies. Broken spirits. Broken minds. Brokenness is all around us. The world at times seems so broken. Out of order. It is a witness of original brokenness called original sin.
When you meet someone, be your most authentic self. As a friendship develops do these very simple things. Let people know you are a Catholic Christian (in a natural, unforced way). Ask friends about their faith — and just listen. Listen to your friend’s problems — maybe offer to pray for them. Share your problems with them — testify to how your faith helps you. Give them a book to read on the spiritual life. Share your story of faith in an authentic way. Answer objections to Christianity and questions that might come up.
We would, after school, throw rocks on his tin roof until he would come out and yell at us. He was the boogie man of the neighborhood and we were all scared of this strange man. One day on the way to church my dad saw him alongside of the road. To my horror he stopped the car and offered him a ride.
It is attractive to live humbly. The most attractive person on the earth showed us the kind of strength that flows from a deeply humble life. Jesus did not give up greatness, power or glory by submitting to meekness. Rather his power and greatness are found in and through his meekness. That is attractive.
Earlier this year, during a missionary journey to Ireland, I was privileged to preach to a couple thousand Irish youth. In these young people I saw enthusiasm and beauty, but also pain and alienation. What most astounded me was the deep reverence they had for the sacredness of the faith. I watched hundreds of youth…