WHICH WAY TO GO?
If you had the choice to go across a river on a newly built steady bridge, where you are certain that you will get to the other side, or on a damaged rickety bridge where you could easily slip and fall, which path would you take? The majority of us would choose the easy and safe option. In the Bible Jesus says to us “Enter through the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the road, that leads to destruction, and many go that way. How narrow is the gate that leads to life; and how rough, the road; few there are, who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14) The way to heaven is by way of the broken bridge but how many of us are truly courageous enough to take it? It is easy to say that we are but do our actions match our words?
LEARNING TO FLY
Like an eagle that throws its young eaglet from a great height, so that it can learn to fly; God sometimes throws us out of our comfort zones so we can experience the love of Christ. The poor baby bird doesn’t realize that its mother is flying very close by its side in order to catch it if necessary. In the same way, we are usually too blind to see that the Lord is carrying us in his hands. Each time the baby bird struggles and fears for its safety, it breaks the mother’s heart; but she knows that when she is not there, the baby has got to be able to fly to survive. God knows that we must be able to face and overcome trials and temptations in order to survive and that is why he is sometimes silent when we think we need him most! But he is always there beside us, ready to catch us if it is really necessary. “Like an eagle watching its nest hovering over its young, supporting them on its spread wings and carrying them on its pinions, the Lord alone led them without a foreign God.” (Deuteronomy 32:11-12)
TIME FOR US TO FLY
Some eagle chicks are too frightened to take their first flight away from the nest, so the parent will withhold food to force them out. This is similar to what happens to us when the Lord says it’s time that the fledglings got their wings. As we get older we have to take responsibility for our own faith journey, we have to try and hear what the Lord is saying to us for ourselves and we cannot rely on our parents or teachers any more. “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar as with eagle’s wings; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and never tire.” (Isaiah 40:31)
HUNT FOR SPIRITUAL FOOD
Like an eagle, the followers of Christ must learn to fly and hunt for spiritual food. We should be able to rely on the Holy Spirit to hold us and guide us and our faith should give us the ability to rise above our circumstances. When we have faith, we can hunt and search for the manna from heaven, the Eucharist that will help us to grow strong and healthy in Christ and we will hunger for the Word of God. Initially those strong in faith feed the young souls, but soon they must learn to find food for themselves. The Bible says “Teach a child the way he should go, he will not stray from it while he lives.” (Proverbs 22:6
SOAR LIKE AN EAGLE
An old saying “Give a person a fish, and he has food for a day. Teach a person to fish, and he has food for a lifetime.” People learn by listening and watching others and by copying their actions. Let us be good role models and share our faith with other young people so that they can begin that process of learning to fly by faith. By the grace of God and with faith we can all soar like eagles.
Written by Lida Kuriakose