There is a forgetting that is occurring in Christian communities. A loss of the importance of being a follower of Jesus Christ. At a recent year 12 retreat I helped to facilitate, some students wrote in their evaluations “I am not religious†or “I am not Christianâ€. Some parents I know who were brought up Catholic have decided not to baptise their Children. Even in my own immediate family my own children say “why do we have to go to churchâ€. It would seem I am fighting a loosing battle.
Why is the Christian faith so important?
The answer to this question cannot be answered by logic or rational reasoning. Such as “my parents went to church I need to go to church†or “the church has declared all Christians have to go to churchâ€, “you are going to hell if you do not go to church†or “it is a religious lawâ€. This reasoning simply does not cut it.
The answer to the question comes from a deeper experience of God in our own lives. Do we experience God? Do we taste God? If not, how do we taste God? Maybe there is not a desire or will within us to taste God?
From a comfortable, affluent, or western perspective, does God truly matter? We presume to have everything we need. A roof over our heads, a job, money and relationships. Things seem to be quite okay or even quite good. Or do we really have everything?
But for Christians, there is something missing. Jesus Christ suffered and died. Christians believe that Jesus is God. Also, we too will suffer and die. When we are born there is suffering. When we die there is suffering. Why do we presume that there is something different in the centre and middle of our lives precisely when we are giving up our faith. We forget. We ignore the suffering. We run away from the suffering.
Yet, Jesus says, “follow meâ€, “my yoke is easy†and he also says “my peace I leave you, my peace I give to youâ€.
The most important thing we can teach our children is not maths, or English. The most important thing is to teach them the nature of life. That there is suffering. That God suffered to. To show us the love of God. But also, to show us the nature of living a fuller life with God. Suffering is not the end of the story. Rather, suffering is a doorway to God.
Does the absence of something or maybe our suffering help realise something we are missing?
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