The greatest blessing that I have been given is knowing Jesus Christ. While Jeannie and I have received many blessings from the Lord (along with a few trials), our greatest treasure by far has been the gift of faith. Through this gift, we have come to know God’s forgiveness and his faithful love. We have come to know the blessing of brothers and sisters in Christ, the hope of heaven, and the power of prayer. We have also learned to hear his voice in Scripture.

More than any other gift, it’s this gift of faith that I want to impart to my grandchildren—as well as to my children, my extended family, and all my friends.

Compelled by the Holy Spirit. This month, our opening articles focus on this very subject: how to share the gift of faith in Jesus with our loved ones. John and Therese Boucher, authors of Sharing the Faith That You Love, will guide us this month so that we can learn how to give away this great treasure that the Lord has given us.

Some of us may feel as if we just can’t share our faith. We don’t know what to say, or we feel we’re not very good at communicating. But no matter your circumstances or talents, you are absolutely qualified to share the love of the Lord with the people around you. Why? Because the Holy Spirit, the very presence and power of God, lives in you, and that means you have all that you need. In fact, the more you turn to the Spirit, the more deeply you’ll feel him compelling you to share your faith—just as St. Paul felt (2 Corinthians 5:14)!

You Are a Witness. One of my six sisters is an atheist. She is also one of the most loving, caring people that I know. She recently surprised me when she told me how glad she is that Jeannie and I believe strongly in God and in the promise of heaven. I was so grateful when she told me that. It reminded me of Pope Paul VI’s words: “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses” (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 41).

My sister recognizes that our faith has sustained us through good times and bad. By God’s grace, she sees a witness of the love of Christ in what we share and how we live.

May we all grow a bit more in our ability to witness to our families and friends this month. Be assured that God will give us the words. Then, having done our part, we can leave it to the Lord to reveal his love and goodness to them.

Jeff Smith
President
jeff_smith@wau.org