Reflection: The faith of the saints
All of us stand on the shoulders of the millions of Christians who have gone before us. These include Australian ‘saints’- people like us committed to living in a way that honours God. Let’s take the time to find out what people like Mary MacKillop, David Unaipon, John Flynn, Ann Bon and many others have contributed to the wellbeing of our nation through their faith-inspired activities and priorities. Let’s help the children in our lives to see that our country has been influenced by many Christians who have shaped our history, our culture, our institutions and our businesses. If you worship in a church that follows the lectionary, take the time to explain the heroes of the faith honoured in the lectionary; it helps to give the children in our families and faith communities a historical perspective on the Australian faith community. It is helpful for the children in our lives to appreciate that they are part of something much bigger than their own family or community of faith.
Whether your church follows the lectionary or not, I encourage you to find out about the Christian heritage of this country; for your own benefit and so you may pass on this information to the children in your lives. If you don’t know where to start, may I encourage you to type ‘Australia’s Christian heritage’ into your search engine.
Even without access to a computer, we can learn; from the ‘monuments’ in our community: churches, memorials to people past, texts on gravestones, street names and more. Once we have learned more, let’s share it with the children in our lives!
What do you know of Australian ‘saints’ who have gone before you? How can you pass this heritage on to the children in your life?
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for all the saints that have gone before; for their life and witness, for the heritage of which we are now the custodians. Help us as families and church families to pass on this knowledge to the children in our midst, that together we may honour those who have gone before us. Amen.