GIFT & TRANSFORMATION

GIFT and TRANSFORMATION

Two Faith Pillars

(NOTE: The Vatican Dicastery For Promoting Integral Human Development's Laudato Si Action Platform just published a GIFT document related to the two faith pillars of GIFT and TRANSFORMATION on its website. CLICK HERE TO READ)

As you'll note, GIFT, the name of our ministry, is an acronym for Global Institute For Transformation, and we see these two faith pillars -- 1) GIFT, and 2) TRANSFORMATION -- as essential, foundational faith concepts.

Contemplating these two pillars could certainly compel us to live life differently:

1) Reflecting on, appreciating and celebrating everything and everyone that God has freely given us as a GIFT, and...

2) Allowing our God, who created us, to TRANSFORM our lives, so we can become more like Him; to live and love more like Jesus, our Creator and Savior; and to TRANSFORM our world with all the incredible love He's given us.

What's involved is reciprocating back to God for all the wonderful GIFTs we've received from Him, and re-GIFTING from the gifts we've received to help others in need -- spiritually or materially -- to transform their situation and transform the world. This entails letting the Holy Spirit transform us so we can make our lives a GIFT of self back to God and to others -- just like Jesus.

These two pillars have surfaced in Scripture and also in multiple encyclicals and teachings produced by the Catholic Church. Click here for access to a document rendering this.

Scripture Verses Asserting The Pillars Of Faith And Transformation

Holy Scripture encourages appreciation for the GIFTs we receive from God our creator:

• Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights. (James 1:17)

• “If you knew the Gift of God… he would have given you living water… welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:10)

• For it is by grace you have been saved…it is the gift of God. Ephesians (2:8-10)

• But eagerly desire the greater gifts... the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 12:31; 13:13)

• Fan into flame the Gift of God. (2 Timothy 1:6)

• Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others. (1Peter 4:10)

• I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. (Ephesians 3:7)

Holy Scripture encourages our TRANSFORMATION:

• All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Cor 3:18)

• Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. (Rom 12: 2)