How do you measure maturity in one’s Christian faith? - Daily Reflections June 25,2015

DIFFERENT KINDS OF BELIEVERS   When we were studying Classical Philosophy, particularly Philosophy of Religion, we came to know about different variations of unbelievers. There are agnostics who believe that the existence or non-existence of God is currently unknown or unknowable and cannot be proven. A weaker form of this might be defined as simply a lack of certainty about the existence or non-existence of a Supreme Being. There are atheists who reject the belief in the existence of God. Strong atheists maintain the position that there is no God. Weak atheists simply have no belief that any God exists. Apatheists, on the other hand, do not care whether any Supreme Being exists.        A meditative reading of our Gospel passage today makes me realize that we can also have different kinds of believers:        Ritualists or Pietists = believers who are so much taken by the performance of delicate liturgies, even being too scrupulous about details or “rubrics” of prayers and rites. Pope Francis refers to these persons as the ones who have turned the Church into a museum.        Theatricists = believers who equate authentic faith as one that must always be accompanied by charismatic manifestations of prophecies, miracles, healings and other mighty works. They love to transform worship into a theatrical experience.        Activists = believers who are absorbed about showing faith as an active social agent of change. Pope Francis refers to these when he speaks about religious who have turned into simple social workers.        Mystics = believers who have become not just religious but spiritual. The faith has become their bedrock of living. They are able to integrate what they believe as truly part of their every thought, word and action —and so they are able to witness to this faith with stability and consistency in the midst of anything. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP   REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How do you measure maturity in one’s Christian faith? Can you see yourself as someone who is like the person Jesus speaks about in the Gospel — someone who has built his or her house upon a rock?   You are the Rock on which I stand, Lord. I put my faith and hope in You.