Last week, I wrote about how to maintain good relationships, so that friendships are still kept going. Since faith is crucial to our life, it is also important to explore some faith issues during a period of hardship.

The Divine is part of human life and our relationship with one another is anchored on the goodness of God and his injunctions to us. People, therefore, meet to worship God together and to share their life of faith. To the extent that we share aspects of our life that have been truly transformed by God, our testimonies can become inspirational to others. Yet, our coming together can become a matter of drudgery and trepidation that people want to avoid.

At this time of hardships, Church Services and even the Mass should be conducted in such a way that it is not prolonged unduly. Whatever is not integral to the Mass should not be introduced. Pastors are always looking for money and many have become adept at raising funds or squeezing money from closed pockets. Pastors are called to be filled with compassion and not become shylocks. The welfare of sheep must also be the concern of shepherds and not just their own comfort and happiness.  Long sermons that exacerbate pain and hurt feelings must be curtailed, so that people who have summon up faith and courage to attend Mass are not lost due to winding, long and unprepared homilies.

Pastors, that is, shepherds, must be seen to be shepherds, people who are vowed to care for the sheep under their care.  This means, being able to put up with inconveniences and the willingness to make sacrifices for the good of the people entrusted to our care.  Pastors then, cannot afford to be extravagant, when the sheep have not been fed. Pastors must be available to accompany their flock even if it’s just to listen to them in their pains. This accompaniment may be brief, but it must be truly transformative and able to strengthen the faith and commitment of the people.

Being Church during economic downturn calls on priests and pastors to become the voice of the voiceless, speaking the truth to authority and helping the masses to knock on closed doors so that they may be opened for the people to have better experiences. In this regards, Shepherd are also called to be in the forefront of the project to bring the plight of the people to those who can help. But spreading knowledge alone is not sufficient, pastors, must help to form people in such a way that they respond to the felt needs.

A Church is a family and a place of refuge, if members become suffocated, then it is no longer a family of love that nurtures life. This must be borne in mind at all times especially during hard times. The disciples of Christ were called Christians because the people around saw something of Jesus in them. This must be the same for Christians today. “If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world on fire.” We cannot but be like Jesus, the Bible remarked that he had done all things well. He was always full of compassion for the crowd that followed him. This is still largely missing in the behaviour of many shepherds today and it must be cultivated, practiced and honed in this hard times.

Like St. Teresa of Calcutta once said, “If we have no peace, it I because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” As brothers and sisters, we must truly become neighbours helping one another. In this hard times, Christians must rise up and help one another even if it means helping one person at a time. That we cannot do much does not exempt us from doing the little we can do, and this is the time to rise up and begin to do all the little deeds of love that we can do.

Being a Church of compassion is possible. Making everyone feel at home is possible. Taking care of the poor among us is possible. If we are not doing all these things, it is because we have not tried enough. No wonder G. K. Chesterton (1874 – 1936) said “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried.” This is the time to try something honourable and Christians are the people we are looking at to make a difference. Times may be hard, but life is always beautiful when the heart is full of love and Church should always be a place to find love.

As an individual, if you are positioned to help, look for those in need and quietly render whatever help you can. As a community of believers, let us seek out the needy among us, such as orphans, widows and the poor and assist them to see the loving face of God by our acts of kindness. These gestures will always be an offering pleasing to God. And when you come to Church, please be pleasant to others, smile, share love, spread hope and we shall truly be a Church of love and true worship in a world filled with darkness and hate.