Yesterday I was thinking about the Blog and realized not everyone is as excited about All Saints Day as I may be. If that is the unfortunate case, maybe I should also (not instead of) talk about others things right now too. We will move on to other feast days and seasons after the All Saints Day planning but for now I hate to bore anyone.
I just finished up a 3 year run as the Youth Coordinator at our parish. I LOVED that job. Maybe one day you'll find me back in a similar position, but for now I am very happy at home with my family, loving on them and living out my vocation as mother and wife.
The first time I ever taught in a Faith Formation/CCD/Religious Education classroom was 5 years ago. A beautiful bunch of rowdy 2nd graders preparing for 1st Communion. People warned me about the lack of knowledge among both the students and the parents. Unfortunately they were correct. But the hope and joy of teaching young people the faith is what made me love it, even though I was saddened by the lack of education.
After spending 3 years working with Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers I found it to be the same as teaching in a 2nd grade classroom. But, the adults who stepped up to teach them all are amazingly wonderful people. And the kids themselves teach us adults while they are learning from us. These young people are our church. Not our future church but the here and now. They are trying to find their way, understand the gift being passed onto them, all while navigating their teen years. Not an easy thing. Some of them don't want to be there, some are unsure whether or not they want to be, and some know a lot and forget that we will never know it all and the only way to really grow in your faith is to dig deeper into it. I think the adults sometimes fall into these same categories.
We are all called to serve, to share, and to love. Through our Baptism and Confirmation we are called to pass on this faith of ours to the next generation ... to the world.
Do you help with your parish Faith Formation Program? Are you willing to take a step closer in fulfilling your commission? You were called to do just this thing.
Programs all over the world can use help. Volunteers are in short supply in many places. Adults worry they don't know enough, they think the kids are bad, etc. But there are so many ways you can help (lead a class, assist in a classroom, monitor the Hall, help with service projects, help with socials - good clean catholic fun). None of us know it all and we are all on a journey that started at different times. We are all in different places. If you have even the tiniest pull to maybe, possibly help pass on the faith, please take time to look into it at your parish.
The job is worth every moment and not only will you be helping others to grow in their faith, you will grow in yours as well.
We are God's hands and feet on this earth. I call it being God's Flip Flops.
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