Continuing with our look at Pope Benedict XVI's letter announcing the Year of Faith:
10. At this point I would like to sketch a path intended
to help us understand more profoundly not only the content of the faith, but
also the act by which we choose to entrust ourselves fully to God, in complete
freedom. In fact, there exists a profound unity between the act by which we
believe and the content to which we give our assent. Saint Paul helps us to
enter into this reality when he writes: “Man believes with his heart and so is
justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved” (Rom 10:10).
The heart indicates that the first act by which one comes to faith is God’s
gift and the action of grace which acts and transforms the person deep within. The
example of Lydia is particularly eloquent in this regard. Saint Luke recounts
that, while he was at Philippi, Paul went on the Sabbath to proclaim the Gospel
to some women; among them was Lydia and “the Lord opened her heart to give heed
to what was said by Paul” (Acts 16:14). There is an important
meaning contained within this expression. Saint Luke teaches that knowing the
content to be believed is not sufficient unless the heart, the authentic sacred
space within the person, is opened by grace that allows the eyes to see below
the surface and to understand that what has been proclaimed is the word of God.
Confessing with the lips indicates in turn that faith implies public testimony
and commitment. A Christian may never think of belief as a private act. Faith
is choosing to stand with the Lord so as to live with him. This “standing with
him” points towards an understanding of the reasons for believing. Faith,
precisely because it is a free act, also demands social responsibility for what
one believes. The Church on the day of Pentecost demonstrates with utter
clarity this public dimension of believing and proclaiming one’s faith
fearlessly to every person. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit that makes us fit
for mission and strengthens our witness, making it frank and courageous.
Profession of faith is an act both personal and
communitarian. It is the Church that is the primary subject of faith. In the
faith of the Christian community, each individual receives baptism, an
effective sign of entry into the people of believers in order to obtain salvation.
As we read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “ ‘I believe’
is the faith of the Church professed personally by each believer, principally
during baptism. ‘We believe’ is the faith of the Church confessed by the
bishops assembled in council or more generally by the liturgical assembly of
believers. ‘I believe’ is also the Church, our mother, responding to God by
faith as she teaches us to say both ‘I believe’ and ‘we believe’.”
Evidently, knowledge of the content of faith is essential
for giving one’s own assent, that is to say for adhering fully with
intellect and will to what the Church proposes. Knowledge of faith opens a door
into the fullness of the saving mystery revealed by God. The giving of assent
implies that, when we believe, we freely accept the whole mystery of faith,
because the guarantor of its truth is God who reveals himself and allows us to
know his mystery of love.
On the other hand, we must not forget that in our
cultural context, very many people, while not claiming to have the gift of
faith, are nevertheless sincerely searching for the ultimate meaning and
definitive truth of their lives and of the world. This search is an authentic
“preamble” to the faith, because it guides people onto the path that leads to
the mystery of God. Human reason, in fact, bears within itself a demand for
“what is perennially valid and lasting”.[19] This
demand constitutes a permanent summons, indelibly written into the human heart,
to set out to find the One whom we would not be seeking had he not already set
out to meet us.[20] To this encounter, faith invites us
and it opens us in fullness.
My thoughts: “A
Christian may never think of an act of faith as a private act.” I think
there is some confusion on this point in our society today. It is not enough to
lock ourselves in our rooms, pray to God, attend Mass on Sundays, give money to
the poor, and then say and do things in the world which are counter to the
teachings of the Catholic Church. Pope Benedict tells us: “Confessing with the
lips indicates in turn that faith implies public testimony and commitment. A
Christian may never think of belief as a private act. Faith is choosing to
stand with the Lord so as to live with him.” In Sunday’s gospel, Jesus asks the
young man to give up everything and come follow Him. The young man couldn’t do
it, and went away sad. Are we willing to give up our pride, our fear of
rejection or scorn, our need to fit in and be accepted, to practice our faith
in public, and to state the truth on issues, even if it means taking some heat
for it? Start the year of faith by reminding yourself of what it truly means to
be a follower of Christ. He is asking you today to give up everything to come
and follow Him. Can you honestly say no?
Prayer: of St.
Teresa of Avila (yesterday was her feast day)
Let nothing
trouble you,
Let nothing
frighten you,
All things are
passing.
God never changes,
Patience obtains
all things.
He who possesses
God lacks nothing,
God alone
suffices.
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