“Looking back at my childhood, I am thankful for the many gifts the good God sent my way in the form of people who knew and loved Him and chose to share that knowledge and love with me. There are so many examples from the good Catholic sisters and priests who taught me to my Presbyterian friend, James, who announced that he was going to save me from the ‘chains of my Catholicism!’ He was wrong about the Catholic faith, but there was no doubt concerning his zealous love for the Lord. And his zeal most certainly helped me grow in my Catholic faith.
“Of all the people God has placed in my life, most of all I am thankful for my family. My mother, father and sister were those people who first introduced me to the faith – to Jesus Christ and the Church He gave to us. Their love of Jesus Christ and His Sacred Scripture, their devotion to His Blessed Mother and their love and fidelity to His Church were exactly the gifts that the Lord wanted them to pass on to me so that I would come to faith in Him. I am so thankful that my parents valued these gifts so highly that they asked a priest to baptize me as an infant so I would also grow in faith and be reconciled to God from the very beginning of my life.
“Most important is the realization that God placed within my very being a desire for Him. Faith is His gift to me.”
In a recent commentary, Deacon Mike Bickerstaff (Editor in chief and co-founder of the Integrated Catholic Life eMagazine) reflected on opportunities for deepening our faith and on appreciation for His gifts to us – gifts that help us draw closer to Him.
To access Deacon Mike’s complete reflection, please visit:
The Integrated Catholic Life: The Miracle and Gift of the Eucharist (10 JUN 12)
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