Faith

As Christians, we use the word “faith” quite often.

Sometimes we use the word in the sense of what we believe: this is the faith of the Church, our faith teaches us this and that and so forth.

Sometimes we talk about faith as simply that which underlies and establishes our relationship with God in Christ: a relationship that is the foundation of our lives and will bring us eternal happiness in the life to come.

Today’s readings remind us quite movingly of still other aspects of what faith is.


The first reading reminds us so beautifully of patience as an aspect of faith.

How long, O LORD? I cry for help
but you do not listen...!

Then the LORD answered me and said:
Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets,
so that one can read it readily.

For the vision still has its time,
presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;
if it delays, wait for it,
it will surely come, it will not be late.

The rash one has no integrity;
but the just one, because of his faith, shall live.

We may often feel impatient with the Lord, seeing all the terrible things in our world and the difficult things in our lives, praying again and again that the Lord will fix everything the way we want it.

The Lord will come through for us: in his own time and in his own way – a way that ultimately will be more wonderful than we could have imagined.


In the Gospel, our Lord tells us what kind of faithful servants we should be

“When you have done all you have been commanded,
say, 'We are unprofitable servants;
we have done what we were obliged to do.'"

Some of us may be uncomfortable with this image. It hurts our self-esteem. Shouldn’t God reward us for what we have done?

God will certainly reward us for what we have done and in His grace and mercy He will give us much, much better than we deserve.

People of faith understand that our puny efforts, even the greatest accomplishments of humanity, are infinitesimal in comparison with the majesty and the glory of the Lord God Almighty, the God of Infinity and Eternity and Absolute Perfection.

People of faith know their limits and they know how unlimited the grace of God is.

We do what we have to do, we do what is right, and we thank God for the grace that makes possible all the good we do and also the infinite good we will receive.


Today’s readings also speak of the power of faith. In the Epistle, St. Paul speaks of faith’s power to speak the truth in the face of opposition. In the Gospel, our Lord speaks of faith’s power to do miracles.

Some Christians, particularly those who have freshly embraced the faith, read these passages in a very simplistic way, as if to say, “I have faith, therefore - BOOM - I have super powers.”

Faith is not a thing that we have. Indeed, it is probably more accurate to say that it is faith that has us.

Faith must reshape our heart, our mind, our soul, our life, and everything that we have, say and do. As faith has its way with us, its power will become more and more manifest according to the will of God (not our own) in ways that will be courageous, miraculous, and for the glory of God alone.

Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven