A few times over the past couple of weeks, I have heard Fr. Ron talk about what it means to have an “adult faith,” and it has really helped me in my own spiritual journey.
Many of you reading this might assume that people like me who work for the Church have the most solid faith and that we accept and follow every detail and teaching the Church puts out there without question. But for me at least, the older I get, the more I find myself challenging my faith and asking why we do and believe what we do.
At times, I have even felt ashamed of those thoughts, or frustrated with myself and sometimes with God. I question whether what I am doing with my life is the right thing, whether it matters, and whether I am serving Him in the way He intends.
But recently, including in his homily on March 7/8, Fr. Ron talked about how challenging your faith can actually be healthy. He described the difference between what he called a “childlike faith,” where someone simply accepts everything they are told, and an “adult faith,” which wrestles with questions and seeks deeper understanding. Hearing that helped me tremendously. It reassured me that the feelings I sometimes have are not just acceptable. They can actually be part of growing in faith.
Whenever I have had these moments of questioning, God eventually finds a way to remind me of my purpose. For me, that often means taking those challenging thoughts and using them, along with the creative skills He has given me, to help connect with others who wrestle with similar questions about faith. Most recently, that has been through Lent Quest.
Lent Quest was my latest attempt and something I poured many hours into to create a way to reach people like me. People who question, who wrestle with their faith, or who sometimes feel like what they hear at Mass or see around them goes over their heads. Seeing the incredible response from people across our Family of Parishes engaging with something they might not have otherwise given a second thought to has been a powerful reminder of why I am here. It is a reminder that God is working through all of us in unique ways.
So keep asking questions. Keep challenging. But also keep listening for how God might be speaking to you. Because just when you think those questions are leading you away from faith, God often finds a way to draw you even closer to Him.
