Journey of Faith Demands a Movement

by Fr. Tony Okolo C.S.Sp., V.F.  |  05/03/2026  |  Weekly Reflection

Beloved Parishioners,

In this week of the Pastor’s Corner, my reflection is on some types of movement that our faith journey may require. This movement may not be that easy, but taking the courageous step to make the journey is itself an act of faith. The readiness to move into an unknown destination trusting only in God’s providence forms the core of my reflection.

The first person on this movement to an unknown destination was Abraham. He was called by God, to leave his kinsman, his familiar environment and go to an unknown place that will be shown to him. Abraham did not know anything about the place he was to go or the people or the climate; the only thing he knew was that God is a faithful God who does not disappoint his own people. The movement was tough and challenging at the early stages but at the end God demonstrated to Abraham that He is a faithful God. Isaac was another man of faith who left his place for another country. The author of Genesis says that as Abraham gets old and was about to die, he made his senior servant swear an oath he will not take a wife for the son Isaac from the Canaanites women among whom he lived but he should go to his kindred to take a wife for Isaac. Coincidently, Isaac himself went to live in Negeb, and it was there that he took a wife for himself, Rebekah. There was a movement in Isaac life leaving behind his childhood environment for a different location. The movement was also blessed by God as Isaac found favor with God in many fronts.

Jacob made a long journey departing from Beersheba towards Haran and along the way he fell asleep and found out that God was there and he built a shrine for the Lord. He even said, “If God remains with me, to protect me on this journey I am making and to give me enough bread to eat and clothing to wear, he will set up a memorial stone to be God’s abode.” In his old age, he must make the greatest movement of his life with his family down to Egypt to be with Joseph his son and he remained there till he passed away. There is something common to all these men, there was a movement from one point to another in their search to carry out the will of God in their lives. None of them knew exactly what awaits them but only trusted God’s faithfulness.

Beloved people of God, for us to fulfill or reach that point God has destined for us in our relationship with him, sometimes we need to make some movements that require only faith not counting the cost or knowing what awaits us on the other side. Just like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all left their secured comfort environment to an unknown destination leaving behind their familiar terrain, we must equally be ready to do that in our spiritual journey. This movement may take different forms; it may involve moving away from some attachment to relationship that would be hard to part with but blocks the grace of God flowing into your lives. It may be a moving in a positive direction to reconcile with your family members as Jacob did. It may be moving away from a hostile environment that distracts your peace of mind. It may be in the form of moving deeper into a spiritual relationship with God where God becomes the highest priority in your life. It may be a movement to leave behind a habitual habit that destroys one’s peace of mind or health. Whatever form it may take, there is need for movement towards God in our journey of faith. God calls each of us to examine our hearts and discover what he is calling us to leave behind to be his true disciple.