We Walk By Faith

Looking at the likes of Abraham, and generations of holy men and women, we admire their faithfulness, and truly desire a firm and lively faith.  We think to ourselves that these are 'holy people,' thus a deep faith life is easy for them.  The mistake is believing that people of faith live surrounded by rainbows, cotton candy, and spring flowers.  Looking at the sacred scriptures, and the lives of the saints, we come to understand that many of them struggled with the very same issues which we wrestle with, and some of the elite even wondered whether of not God had abandoned them.  Their lives were by no means easy nor simple.

We look at people like Mother Teresa, Archbishop Oscar Romero, and Francis of Assisi, and can admire their unconditional "Yes" to the call they had received.  Their faith life called them to a new reality in their journey, one which they neither sought or even desired.  They responded to a need by allowing their faith to be an active and engaged faith.  They answered the question, "What I do after I say amen," by firmly and resolutely confronted Sin and Evil.  Most importantly this was not about them but about revealing God's love and mercy in the world, by word and deed.

Faith gives us the courage and strength to enter into the unknown and even frightful situations, with courage and strength, trusting that God is with us.  I think about the men and women who enter into marriage, men who make promises at ordination, men and women who profess vows, and parents, all who take on new roles not fully appreciating or understanding what might await them.  Faithful people, like many of the holy men and women, trust in the fact that our God is faithful and true.

Watch children who are learning to swim.  For some it is a terrible experience as fear and the unknown overwhelm them.  Though once they stop resisting the water, and let the buoyancy of the water hold them up an support them, they can learn to swim.  This is true in our life of faith with God.  The more we fight against God's initiative in our lives, and disbelieve his love and mercy, we are overcome with the Sin and Evil of life.  If we can believe and trust in God, we can do marvelous and courageous works.

St Paul says today, "Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen."  This is not a blithering and blind magic act.  Faith connects the lives of faithful people, and understanding by what we have seen and heard, of those who follow God's precepts.  Faithful people become a challenge for the rest of us, and as well as a source of strength and inspiration.

When we pray "I believe in God the Father Almighty ... ," it might be good to consider what this looks like in our lives.  If I say "Amen," what implications does this have for my response to the world, human dignity, and the need to avoid sin and sinfulness.  Faith focuses us on the faithfulness of God, and sends us out to love and serve the Lord.