Floating

In his book, The Jesuit Guide, James Martin compares faith to floating. I can’t find the exact quote, but here’s the gist of it: Church teaches us how to swim but not necessarily how to float.

When I first learned to swim as a kid, I tried splashing around mimicking the motions that I saw others doing. I expended a lot of energy, thrashing my arms and legs, just to keep from drowning. Eventually, I found that there was some place inside me that could float. Now I know to just be calm and breathe naturally. I just let the abundant water content in each of my cells find its place respective to the water outside.

Trying to explain faith to others is even harder than teaching someone to float. Most people are afraid they might drown if they are still. As soon as they notice any part of themselves sinking, they go back to thrashing around. They try to stay afloat by their own efforts rather than by finding their center of balance.

The spirit inside us is part of God’s Spirit. Once we discover this center, we just need to reach harmony with the surrounding Grace. Faith is the realization of our place in God.