Where Passion and Calling Intersect
This week, I’m in the throes of trying to figure out where October went. Time is such a fickle thing. Though the second hand on a clock ticks at a steady pace, one moment can seem like an eternity and a month can feel like the blink of an eye.
Last week signaled the 6-month mark since my move to Kansas. Those first few months dragged on like a turtle traversing through honey, but now that we’ve spent more than half a year here, time seems to have accelerated considerably.
One of the small gifts of a major relocation is the opportunity to really evaluate how I spend my time. I decided upon moving here that I wouldn’t jump right into volunteering for every opportunity that crossed my path (an old habit of mine). I purposefully gave myself time to settle in my new town and wait for God to direct my time.
Volunteering is a major part of my life. I thank God that my husband’s work provides for our household needs, which frees me to use the hours while my kids are at school for writing, resting, growing in faith, and volunteering.
My previous parish in Florida is alive with ministries and activities for all parishioners, especially families with school-aged kids. Saint John Paul II Catholic Church in Ponte Vedra, FL, has a plethora of activities, and those I was involved in were the vibrant mom’s ministry (for all moms at all stages), a Walking with Purpose women’s Bible study group, a Youth and Family Mass (where kids serve as lectors and ushers, and the priest gives a child-centered homily), and Family Faith Formation (FFF), where parents serve as the primary catechists for their children.
None of these ministries exist at my new parish, so I sought God’s guidance to let me know how he wanted me to serve (at least, which should be first, because in a perfect world, all parishes would have all of these offerings!). Week after week, as I have dropped my kids off at the traditional Religious Education program, I have become more and more convinced that developing a Family Faith Formation program is God’s desire from me.
Don’t get me wrong, I love having a built-in date night with my husband every Wednesday night. I also take ownership of my children’s faith development, and I know that lasting faith is not learned exclusively in a weekly RE classroom. I was blessed to see first hand the fruits of Family Faith Formation in Florida, and I long to replicate that here.
My biggest take away from leading and experiencing FFF is that our faith is meant to be lived, day in and day out, during car rides, over the dinner table, in times of blessings, and in times of struggle. The faith education of our kids does not have a start and stop time once a week. In order to be fully catechised, our kids need to see us living our faith in that way. This means our own faith formation isn’t a thing that stopped when we received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Jesus will continue to form us so long as we continue to allow him. I am passionate about the whole family growing in faith!
As we all know, a calling and a passion (even if it comes from God) do not guarantee an easy, straight path. Since this school year is already underway, I’m getting resistance from the church office. Change is uncomfortable for everyone, and I know that our Director of Religious Education has her hands full with the programs she currently runs. We are going to continue conversations about this in the future. For some people, this may have been a sign that this wasn’t meant to be for right now.
Not me.
If God sets a fire under your butt, you don’t sit down.
Instead, I’ve decided to really focus my blog and social media on ways to live our faith together as a family. Jesus doesn’t ask for or expect perfection (which is really comforting because you won’t be getting that from me), he only wants our willingness. So I’m willing to try to share this enthusiasm that God has given me. We parents must take ownership of our children’s faith. In turn, our children will remind us parents why always growing in faith is not only an important thing, it is the important thing.
I hope you’re excited to come along with me. Please pray for me. If there are any topics or questions that I can specifically speak to, please let me know. I’m working on storing up my treasures in heaven, and I hope you are, too (cf. Matt 6:20).
Copyright 2023 Maria Riley
Image: Canva
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