The mission statement for our diocese and our parish commits us to building a community of disciples, but not just any kind of community. The mission statement uses three different adjectives to describe this community: fervent, intentional, and dedicated. Being intentional and dedicated are fairly easy to understand, so perhaps we can start by considering the word fervent.
A definition I found on Dictionary.com defines fervent in this way: “1. having or showing great warmth or intensity of spirit, feeling, enthusiasm, etc.; ardent: 2. hot; burning; glowing.” The word comes from a Latin word which means “boiling.” As we read that definition, perhaps we focus on the phrase “intensity of spirit.” As I consider this definition, the first image that comes to mind for me is St. John the Baptist. He was a fiery preacher, dressing in a strange manner, eating locusts and wild honey, and boldly preaching a fiery message of repentance. That is certainly one example of what it means to be fervent. But I think we could also say that both Mary and Joseph were fervent. When we think of them, we don’t quite get the same image. St. Joseph does not have any of what he said recorded in the Scriptures, and Mary has very little recorded. But because they were so close to the Lord and filled with His love, they were no doubt fervent in a different way, a way that was no doubt warm, radiating peace, but not in a way that coming close to them would leave you feeling burned! The Church needs Christians who are fervent, and that looks different for different people. What should be common should be that we all have hearts that burn with the love for the Lord and are eager to share that in a manner that fits our state in life. Perhaps we do not feel particularly fervent when it comes to our faith. The best way to “turn up the heat” is through prayer and the sacraments. Here we encounter the God who is love, and by drawing close to His Sacred Heart, our hearts will begin to burn more brightly with love for Him, which will necessarily then overflow in our desire to share that love with others.
Having considered what it means to be fervent, let me say a few words about being intentional and dedicated. A word that comes to mind that encapsulates these two words is that of being committed. When we commit to something, we make a decision to take a certain path, and having taken that path, we stay on it. Think of how this works with one who wants to be in better shape. One can wish to be more healthy, but until an intentional decision is made to actually do something about that desire, and then to stick with the plan, it remains just an idea. So too with being a disciple. We like the idea of being a follower of Jesus, of being called a disciple, but in order to actually be one, a commitment needs to be there, one that is specific in how it will be lived out. When difficulties arise, as they are bound to, we need to be dedicated to staying on the path when it can be tempting to give up. In a culture that finds it hard to commit to something, and to give up easily in the face of setbacks, being a disciple of Jesus can be hard. While we can try to point at the many causes for people falling away from their practice of the faith, I think we have to be honest that giving up ion the face of challenges is a big reason. That reminds me of a line by the great Catholic author G.K. Chesterton: “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”
Let us draw courage from the words of St. Paul, who wrote: “I can do all things in Him who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13) Being fervent, intentional, and dedicated may sound like a lot of work for us, but we take peace in knowing that our commitment is not ultimately dependent on our trying harder, but is dependent on our willingness to surrender to the grace He makes available to us, grace which is both generous and sufficient for us to remain on the journey to the very end!
Father Alford