Growing into faith

Because Nancy and I are older parents, we know of a number of people who are ill with cancer and other life-threatening diseases, and we pray for them regularly during our daily evening prayer. These illnesses seem to weigh on Theresa, who tends too readily to take on other people's burdens. She is blessed with a generous and compassionate heart, but we have to keep reminding her that such-and-such is not really her responsibility and she should just be a little girl. This is not an easy thing to do for someone who tries to solve her parents' problems, even to the extent of giving us medical advice! Recently something happened to relieve some of her burden.

On the last day of the year our family was observing evening prayer. Following the readings from the Daily Office Lectionary, I read Revelation 21:1-6. After reading scripture, the three of us usually say the Lord's Prayer and then proceed to petitions and thanksgivings. However, before we were able to do this, Theresa stopped us and asked a question. She was intrigued at hearing of the new heaven and new earth and wanted to know what it was all about. So I explained to her about the second coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead and the renewal of God's creation. A look of great relief came over her face and she gave her mother a hug. Smiling, she said that that was really great. She then mentioned the people we knew who have died, including one of the pillars of our church whose daughter had taught her in sunday school. After this she was not quite so worried about them, as she had been before.

This was one of those moments that brings tears to a parent's eyes. It is inspiring to see our daughter take one more of those precious steps in growing into the faith and making it her own.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.