Faith

I have long wanted to publish an article about faith even before I read @Ellehcim's article, God tests Abraham's faith. Then last night I have read @Murakamii.7's Monday ramblings where she shared a story about how she feels about not having time for God which was unlikely of her.

I mentioned on my previous article, October routine, that I have became more closer to God because I have been praying the rosary, reading the bible and watching daily mass. An October goal that I wanted to become a habit. After I have read Murakamii article, I can say that I can relate to her. Remember when I shared about my renewal of faith before? I was unemployed when I have decided to attend a weekend parish renewal experience. All of a sudden I just felt like I wanted to join that event and it was really a good decision as my outlook on life changed. Even when I got hired, I was able to drop by the church every Sunday until I stopped because of conflict in schedule but I was still able to say a short prayer whenever the transportation that I rode going to work would pass by some churches. I have this thinking that God understands why it was impossible for me not to hear mass. And then even praying made it impossible for me to do. It was with the last company when I prayed again because the company requires their employees to start the shift in prayer all together. When I resigned from the company, I have also stopped praying that even when I was a bum, I did not go to church. I was only able to go inside the church and pray during our out of town trips. Churches are one of the tourist spots in which most Catholics would stop to take photos, offer a short prayer and lastly make 3 wishes if it was your first time in that church. Have you heard about it before? Do you also make wishes when it was your first time in that church?

My relationship with God before was like a light, sometimes on and sometimes off. But I believe that our faith is not measured on how much we pray or how many bible verses we have read or memorized nor if we hear Sunday masses or daily masses. I think it is measured on how we live by God's teachings and up to how much we believe that He exists.

I have already drafted that part yesterday afternoon but it is only today that I can continue finishing it. For some unknown reasons, I didn't feel like finishing drafting this along with the first topic that I have already started. I know most of you can relate of drafting an article yet after typing a few sentences you would start with a different topic/article.

So while I was listening to our parish priest's sermon, he talked about faith as well and I instantly told myself that maybe this is a sign that I should continue with my draft. He mentioned a lot of things about faith and also noted that having faith alone is not something that can save us as it needs some actions. He also said that even if we go to mass or pray regularly, we still have to be more loving, more caring, more forgiving, more understanding and more supportive.

I remember there was a post that I read somewhere that there are some church goers but does not act like one yet there are those people who rarely goes to church but is more kind and humane. I also heard from someone before the reason why he seldom goes to church was because of the sins that he had committed and is still doing. He said that even if he was a sinner, he acknowledges his sins unlike the church goers. They do have a point but I think it would be best if we can just focus on our own self on how we can better ourselves by talking to and walking with God. We may or may not be able to go to church or pray but I know that we have God in our minds and heart. I know it is better if we can put God at the center of our lives but choosing to do good.

Lastly, our parish priest also said that we are invited not only to believe but also to do good works. Our faith should be lived by. At the end, there are three things that last, faith, hope and love and the greatest is not faith but love. Those are his exact words as I have watched the video again while drafting this. I did memorize what he said this morning but I forgot about it. Thank you, anaesthesia and pandemic. LOL. I hope that not only should we have faith by to also live by faith.

P.S. lead image is a screenshot of the mass earlier that I took when I watched it again on Facebook.