KERLIN: Generations of faith

My faith has always been important to me, and at one point in my life, I became very curious about how that had happened. I knew my parents were people of strong faith, but I wondered why that was and how their faith had grown so strong.

In graduate school, this interest in faith and my interest in family led me to a master’s thesis about how faith was passed down through the generations of my family. Faith has been woven into the fabric of my family for generations, and I’ve learned a lot about God and faith from my great-grandparents, grandparents and parents. When you think about your faith, who are the important people in your life who have been living examples of God’s love and care, and how do you live a life extending that care to others?

I had the privilege of growing up with both sets of my grandparents and my great-grandmothers. I used to spend time as an elementary school child learning the stories of my great-grandmothers, and I was fascinated by how the lives of my ancestors connected with my life.

Both of my great-grandmothers lived into their 90s, and they did so gracefully but not without struggle. I learned about the adversities that they had overcome, and it taught me resilience and gratitude for those who have come before me.

From my paternal grandmother, I learned to be adventurous and fearless. Her favorite Scripture was 2 Tim 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.” She was the oldest person in Indiana to skydive, but it is her love and acceptance of people that I remember most.

From my maternal grandmother, who struggled with poverty, I learned to trust God for all things; she clung to the Lord and would frequently cite Matthew 6:28, “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow.”

My paternal grandfather was a deacon in the Church, an usher at services, an orderly at the hospital and read his Bible and Guideposts regularly. Ironically, my maternal grandfather, though not active in his faith, is the reason I’m Catholic today — he sent his children to church and catechism, and that is where the faith took root in my mom, and she has lived her faith far and wide.

Lived faith; that’s what I’ve seen and what I learned from my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Generations of faith have taught me, shaped me and shown me how to love God and others.

We are all called to live our faith. Jesus always said, “Come and See.” Live your life as an example of faith and share your love of God and faith in God with others. You never know who, years from now, will be telling this story about how you were the person who nurtured their faith in God. Proclaim the Gospel with your life.

Kristine Kerlin is the director of the Office of Aging.