Alive in Christ
A Weekly Reflection on Faith, Prayer, and Life from Christ Our Pascha
Week 4
The God Who Makes Himself Known
God invites us to know him through his gifts, his word, and his Son.
Begin by paying attention
A busy day can pass before we notice much beyond the next task. We move from one need to another and reach evening feeling worn.
Then a small moment gives us reason to pause and give thanks. We notice a tree outside the window or receive an unexpected act of kindness.
Such moments can help us turn our attention toward the God who gives life. The catechism invites us to recognize his wisdom and goodness in creation.
It reminds us that the world depends on God for its very existence. Looking with care can become a simple beginning of praise and thanksgiving.
From Christ Our Pascha
“All creation praises God, his majesty, his glory and wisdom”
From Christ Our Pascha, paragraph 21, printed page 16. This is a short excerpt.
We can thank the Creator for what we see without knowing every answer. Wonder can lead us to prayer and a wish to know him more.
God reaches toward us
The catechism calls God’s making himself known to us Revelation, a gift of love. God invites us to know him and share in his life.
Our search for him begins within a love that comes from him first. We can respond with trust, even while our understanding still needs to grow.
The book recalls God’s care through the long history of his people. He calls Abraham, frees his people from slavery, and speaks through the prophets.
These events show a God who enters human history and acts to save. The story reaches its fullness in Jesus Christ, the Son of God made human.
We do not need to invent a picture of God from our fears. We can turn toward the One who has made himself known through his Son.
Look toward Jesus
Creation helps us recognize the Creator, but Christ reveals the Father in fullness. When we look toward Jesus, we learn whom we are being invited to trust.
The catechism puts this truth in plain and hopeful words for us:
From Christ Our Pascha
“In his words and deeds he revealed the love of God the Father.”
From Christ Our Pascha, paragraph 14, printed page 13.
His words and deeds belong together, showing us the Father’s saving love. Reading the Gospel with the Church helps us receive this truth more deeply.
We can come to that reading with questions, doubts, and a wish to listen. We can ask our priest for help with passages that seem hard to understand.
God’s gift is greater than the passing mood we bring to prayer. We can keep returning to Christ even when our minds feel crowded or uncertain.
A faith we can receive together
Imagine someone who has come back to church after many years away. A familiar hymn brings comfort, but some words in the Gospel raise questions.
That person stays to listen and later asks a trusted priest for help. Over time, worship, reading, and honest conversation help the teaching become clearer.
This is a simple example of how we can keep growing in faith. The catechism explains that the Church continues to hand on God’s Revelation.
We receive the faith within her worship, teaching, and shared life in Christ. No one has to understand the whole story before taking a faithful next step.
Hold on to this
God’s creation gives us reason to praise the One who gives life.
Jesus Christ reveals the Father’s love through his words and deeds.
The Church helps us receive this gift and grow in our response.
Take a quiet moment
Pause by a window or in a quiet place where you can sit. Notice one part of creation and thank God for its life and beauty.
Then recall the words about Jesus revealing the love of the Father. Ask him to help you know that love and respond with trust.
A small beginning this week
Choose one short Gospel passage and read it slowly with a prayerful heart. Notice what Jesus says or does, and bring your response before him.
If something troubles or confuses you, write it down and seek sound guidance. Let your questions become part of a faithful desire to know Christ more.
Let Us Pray
Father, thank you for the world you made and the life you give. Through your Son, help us know your love and welcome your truth. Send your Holy Spirit to guide our prayer and deepen our trust. Give us attentive hearts as we learn to follow Christ each day. Amen.
An original prayer written for this reflection.
Read and look ahead
From the book: Christ Our Pascha, English edition, 2016. Paragraphs 12-29, printed pages 13-18.
Next week: We will explore how the Church receives and shares the living faith.
