Year of Faith!

Pope Benedict XVI has called for a Year of Faith --
it will run from October 11, 2012 until November 24, 2013. It is meant to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the opening of Vatican II, and the 20th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism.
As Pope Benedict XVI expresses faith as: "a personal encounter: it is touching Christ's garment, being touched by Christ, being in touch with Christ, to trust in Christ, to have and to find Christ's LOVE."
(all emphasis's are mine).

It is not just about faith having been given as a grace, but also faith which is being sought for. I think this is what is being expressed when Pope Benedict XVI mentions the touching of Christ's garment. It may take a deep courage to reach out like that, to want to TOUCH, and allow one's self to be IN TOUCH. As mentioned in my previous post, I believe TOUCH and being IN TOUCH is what helps people encounter LOVE and healing. Thomas always comes away as being dis-trustful because Jesus says that blessed are those who believe even when they do not see. I am not sure if Thomas really deserves to be stuck in a "lesser" category because of his request to want to see and touch. In fact, to some extent, perhaps he was pretty courageous to speak up like that and to make such a request. After all, he got to stick his fingers in the holes of Jesus's pierced hands! He was able to get closer to Him than some of the other disciples. I don't think he lacked trust. If anything, he had enough trust to know that Jesus was not going to deny his request. I always considered TRUST to be equivalent to full Faith. In my mind, it is the same thing. TRUST also requires courage.
When thinking about all these things, one thing becomes clear: FEAR will prevent any good.
COURAGE is what is needed nowadays. Courage to be in love. To express that love. To not give up on love, no matter how dismal everything seems.
It's hard. But if you and I don't give up on love, we can show others that it is OKAY to want to love. To want to trust. To have courage. We can encourage each other. We need to remember that we need God, because we need love in our lives. And to love someone means that you are teaching them about God.
True love, which has its roots (or was "instigated") in God, never ends. It is eternal. No matter how far apart and how weird circumstances seem to be.
XP