Faith in Action
In this section we explore some of the challenges of living our faith in action.
The Christian faith is essentially about action although this must be rooted in a sacred centre. It is practical and down to earth. With open eyes and minds we encounter the God who is before us in the world and learn in what ways he wants us to respond to his promptings and call. All the great stories of calling in the Bible lead to action.
But we must keep a perspective. The gap between the realities of life and the vision we may have of the kingdom on earth can make us feel overwhelmed. There is so much bad news around and such a distance to travel.
The challenge for us is to remember
- There is an enormous amount of goodness in the world that needs affirming
and building upon - We should focus on taking small steps of hope as a way of avoiding feeling overwhelmed by shock, guilt or despair
- We can all do something wherever we are that brings the kingdom a little closer and shapes the world as God would will it. We can all make a difference somewhere
- We to have to be prepared to be changed as we engage in the world as we discover more of God's truth that may be hidden from us now
These are some of the issues we explore in this section.
This prayer A World without Walls reminds us whatever we do even though it may only be a beginning is to be valued. We may never see the fruits of our labour. In a world that is driven by achievement and the idea of success, there is something quite liberating in that idea. Faith in action should not feel like a duty. God wants us to share in the joy of his mission to the world.
A World Without Walls
It helps now and then to step back
and take a long view.
The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts;
It is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete,
which is another way of saying
that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.No statement says all that could be said.
no prayer fully expresses our faith,
no confession brings perfection,
no pastoral visit bring wholeness,
no programme accomplishes the church's mission,
no set of goals and objectives includes everything.
That is what we are about.We plant seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We cannot do everything,
and there is a sense of liberation in realising that.It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way
and an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.We may never see the end results,
but that is the difference
between the master builder and the worker.
We are the workers, not the master builders,
ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.Amen
This prayer is usually attributed to Archbishop Oscar Romero but actually was written by Bishop Kenneth Untener of Saginaw in 1979