The Roots of Fatih
(c) Mateo Ivankovic 2017 J.M.J. February 27, 2017 Dear Family of Mary! “Dear children! Today I am calling you to profoundly live your faith and to implore the Most High to strengthen it, so that winds and storms cannot break it. May the roots of your faith be prayer and hope in eternal life. Already now, little children, work on yourselves in this time of grace, wherein God is giving you the grace – through renunciation and the call to conversion – to be people of clear and persevering faith and hope. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (February 25, 2017) Our Lady speaks to us of our faith, comparing it to a tree. She wants us to be strong in faith. And so to be strong, our tree of faith must have strong roots. Roots are the foundation of a tree. If a tree has a good root system, it will be able to withstand rough weather. The roots will hold the tree upright. And the good nutrition provided by the roots will ensure that the tree’s trunk and branches are strong and supple enough to be blown about without cracking. We need to have good roots if we are going to withstand temptation and strife, maintaining our faith. Our spiritual root system must be planted deep into the soil of the Bible and the Tradition of the Church, deep into the truths that Christ has taught us, so that they will hold us firm when the winds of apostasy blow around us. Our roots must be able to absorb nutrients from the soil so that we do not become malnourished and brittle. This nourishment comes from prayer and is augmented by hope. Prayer helps us to receive the Water of Life. That Water of Life is the Holy Spirit who pours His life abd gifts into us as we pray. Hope in eternal life is our ability to absorb the Water of Life. When we hope we drink in the Spirit, through desire! In Psalm 1 the image of a tree is used to describe a good man. It makes the case for good roots planted in the right place: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1: 1-3) Notice that a good man, a blessed man, knows where to plant himself. He does not plant himself among those who do not know or love God. He plants himself in the law of the Lord! And when he is planted in the Lord’s Law, in the Lord’s Word, he is like a tree that has roots deep in the soil, close to a bountiful stream. His roots will always have water and nutrition (the Holy Spirit and the Word of God)! They will be strong and hold him fast in times of trouble. This is what Our Lady wants for us. She wants our faith to be fed by the good waters of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. She wants us to drink up those waters by virtue of our hope. Hope opens us up and keeps us drinking in the gifts of the Lord, making us strong. This Lent, may we examine where our roots are planted and make conscious choices to dig them up and move them near to streams of Living Water, where we will be able to grow, prosper, and thrive in the Love of our Lord. Then when storms come, we will not be toppled. We will stand in hope and joy! In Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Cathy Nolan ©Mary TV 2017