Recently I recalled early events in my life that helped me grow in faith and I call them glimpses of faith.
Early in my life, I remember my grandmother saying to me, “You have been good today; wasn’t that easy?” Yes, I thought, it was easy to be good!
I remember when I was about 5 or 6 years old, a great aunt, Aunt Gussie, walking me around our sidewalk, teaching me to roller skate. She herself was barely able to walk, and recited the Our Father to me while I voiced the words after her. This was my first experience of learning to say the Our Father.
Both of these events have a lasting place in my memory. There have been other events in my life that helped shape my faith. Another is my memory of attending Sunday Mass as a family. Mom, Dad, my sister Carol, and I would all load into the car on Sunday and drive to Mass, rain or shine. I guess snow was also present at times.
In first grade, I had forgotten my packed lunch and the sister/teacher went over to her house and brought back a lunch for me. A great lesson in sharing!
All glimpses of faith involved a positive learning experience for me. It tells me today how important it is for families to share their faith with their children, to nurture faith and love in the home. These glimpses of faith tell me that faith is contagious. When we live our faith out loud it can’t help but influence others.
