When I think of Abraham, Noah and those men from the Old Testament who loved and worshipped God, I think of their devotion not to false rites and rituals, but their immense trust in him even when their personal lives were chaotic and the world around them fallen to the whims of many gods. Each of these ancients were centred on God.
I think of Job who remained faithful after losing all his family, wealth and experienced illness. Job remained faithful and never cursed God even when his friends mocked him. There are also many ancient women – from Ruth, Rahab, and Esther whose faith in God in the most of turbulent times lead to great blessings.
So I ask myself, where does my heart lie even in the midst of all the rumblings in the Catholic Church – which is often divided. I think how our religious institutions have become politicalized and often used as a weapon in supporting certain narratives of the state. I think of the bureaucracy within God’s house and I think back to the simplicity of faith of Jesus’ disciples who followed him from the heart. Yes there were fractions who thought he was the Messiah whose presence will release them from Roman suppression, and there were the followers who simply followed Jesus and loved him for his life teachings and for providing them a bridge to God through his death on the cross.
I know as a follower of Jesus and with the love of God in my heart, I need to continually trust in him – knowing that as he protected Noah and his family, and just as he lead the Israelites out of Egypt, and as he blessed Job for his trust, I too need to turn a death ear to the woes and rumblings within the greater institution of the Catholic Church and trust in God. My commitment to God is to trust in him, and to be like Jesus within and without.
This means keeping my own faith and trust in Jesus pure:
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV
My own understanding has been mired in discourse and in the indoctrination of the time – family, cultural, religious, political and social milieu I live in. Hence my thoughts and understanding of the world has been tainted. This reflection is why I started this post. I thought of people from ancient Biblical times who remained strong in their faith despite the political and social currents of their time. They were by no means perfect individuals. Each had their temperament and character flaws, but what made them stand out for me was their unwavering love and trust in God.
What does this mean to me?
Keeping my faith and trust in God is what keeps me grounded:
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9.
The two verses quotes are my own mantras. There are many more in the Old and New Testament that reminds us to trust and keep our faith aglow.
God Bless each in our faith journey. Help us keep it simple – to focus on Jesus, for he is our bridge to the God the Father. 🙏💕
Be Inspired! 
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