Faith Alive!

Details: 26 February 2010

One of the saddest things that can be said of a Christian is that his faith is dead. Of what use is the gift of faith if it isn’t alive? Very little, to be sure!

Just on the horizon is the season utilized by Christians perhaps the most successfully to grow in their faith—namely, Lent. When we meditate upon Jesus’ passion and death, it becomes a bit easier to take our faith more seriously. And we need to take faith seriously lest we become lukewarm, putting in peril our relationship with Jesus and the gift of salvation itself.

A relatively new series of books called Faith Alive! (by Christopher Ruff, M.A., S.T.L.) is meant as a remedy, of sorts, for faith in need of being rekindled. The subtitle for the series is: Seeking His Face – Sharing His Love – Finding His Joy. Are these not the very goals of the Christian journey? Indeed, we were created to know God, to love God and to serve God in this life so as to enjoy eternal happiness with Him in the next life. The Faith Alive! books attempt to help us to fulfill this very purpose of our existence.

There are three volumes in “The Discipleship Series”: As I Have Loved You; Who is My Neighbor?; and The Greatest of These is Love. These resources “for people with busy lives but open hearts” are concise and readable, with six sessions in each book, each of which includes prayers, reflections, discussion questions and suggestions for service. While these books are ideal for small faith-sharing groups, they are suitable for individual use as well.

Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR had this to say about the series: “Small faith-sharing groups which challenge the individual to works of charity and the apostolate are at the very core of the history of the reform of the Catholic Church. I congratulate Christopher Ruff on his work and hope it will continue to be so well received.” The Most Rev. Jerome Listecki, the new Archbishop in Milwaukee, gave this endorsement: “The response to these faith-sharing resources has been extraordinary. I recommend them wholeheartedly to individuals, groups, parishes and dioceses that wish to foster a deeper, fuller discipleship in Christ.”

Many Catholics in the Diocese of Lincoln participated in the “Disciples in Mission” Lenten program that ran for three consecutive years, helping us to reflect on how we, as Christ’s disciples, share in His mission of bringing the Good News of salvation to all. This new series can be used with that same apostolic goal in mind. Some parishes may opt to organize new groups to go through one or more of the books in the aforementioned series. Small groups that are already in place may also order the materials directly from the publisher.

While Lent lends itself to a six-week series, the theme of discipleship is a good fit for the Easter season as well. In any event, it behooves every Christian to make sure that his or her faith remains ALIVE and well! Take the initiative to form a study group in your parish… today!

For more information about the Faith Alive! series or to order books, call (608) 304-1768, or visit the Novo Millennio Press website: www.novomill.com. Questions may also be submitted to the Office for Evangelization at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..