Learning to be Quick to Listen

Have you ever been approached by someone who asks if you believe in the afterlife, or about your faith in general? How do you respond? Many of us are familiar with the common saying that it's better to believe and be wrong than not to believe at all, but as Catholics, our assurance is founded on the very person of Jesus Christ. The Bible speaks profoundly about faith, and Jesus confronted the issue of belief head-on in the post-resurrection account with Thomas. When Thomas, having been absent, declared he wouldn't believe unless he saw and touched Christ's wounds, Jesus appeared and invited him to do just that, before stating, "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed" ( John 20:29 ). This incident speaks directly to the necessity of maintaining our faith even amidst our doubts. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) reminds us that "Faith is a personal adherence of man to God; at the same time, and inseparably, it is a free assent to the who...

On Easter morning, two heartbroken disciples , possibly a husband and wife named Cleopas and Mary, were making the seven-mile journey from Jerusalem back to Emmaus. Their conversation was heavy with the recent events in Jerusalem, particularly the crucifixion of Jesus, a man they had hoped would redeem Israel. They recounted the confusing reports from women who had visited the tomb and found it empty, claiming to have seen angels who declared Jesus alive. As they walked and discussed, a stranger joined them, inquiring about their sorrow. Unbeknownst to them, this traveler was Jesus himself, though their eyes were "kept from recognizing him." He gently rebuked their lack of faith, explaining how the Christ had to suffer these things to enter into his glory, and then, beginning with Moses and the Prophets, interpreted to them the scriptures concerning himself. Upon arriving in Emmaus, the disciples, still unaware of their companion's true identity, invited him to stay and...