The result of a recent study, regarding that six out of ten young atheists or agnostics in Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Argentina have prayed when suffering from some type of problem either at home, school, or work, makes it clear – through figures – that faith moves mountains, not only in believers but also in those who are not.
This same research for ‘Footprints. Young People: Expectations, Ideals, Beliefs’, led by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, reveals that the majority of these young atheists or agnostics think that believers have an easier time facing suffering and death.
Faced with these results, under no point of view can it be denied that there have been, are, and will be human beings who insist on ignoring or rejecting the existence of God. However, many of them, oddly enough, have faith. Yes, a little faith, probably a weakened, ignored, useless faith.
On the other hand, the results of another survey carried out in the United States by Scott Rasmussen are striking because of the unexpected revelations about faith and religious beliefs. One of them reveals an increase in believing in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, with a margin of 68% to 13%, among those consulted on March 20 and 21, 2024.
In another question, referring to participation in religious activities, 49% of those surveyed said that they would very likely attend parish on Easter Sunday and 23% stated that they would probably do so. In a third revelation, 45% of those surveyed said they pray daily or almost daily, while 21% raise their prayers to God several days a week.
The childish faith
While these figures were being released, the publication “Adri and Lupita: hand in hand with Jesus and Mary” came into my hands, a story by the Peruvian writer based in Spain, Sandra Zevallos, which recounts the adventures of two almost-year-old friends the same age and with many things in common, as well as differences. The girl has enormous faith while the boy lacks it, and this reality is evident in the face of a family problem, the same one that Lupita seeks to solve by bringing her friend closer to God.
Books of this style must be encouraged, so that statistics demonstrate that, with an early and sustained education in the faith, new generations do not have to abandon their beliefs, due to neglect of duties or religious ignorance.
This recent editorial effort (available on the internet), which helps the evangelization of children and adolescents, by narrating the most important moments in the life of Jesus and the Virgin Mary in an entertaining way, reminds us that faith moves mountains and if it is faith, God works in each person. Also, that the only way to love God is by knowing him, knowing what he did and does for us, because God is alive.
The truth is that, although you cannot see or touch God and you think that He is not present in those moments, He is and this is something that Lupita explains very well to Adri, because she experiences it in her still tender flesh own.
