24 July 2010: Faith is the gift of God

Faith is the first in the order of virtues. By it, enlightened from above, we know God, his infinite attributes, his will, his good pleasure, and his intentions for us in this world and the next.

Evidently, “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb 11:6); or do a meritorious and supernatural act of virtue. That we may be able to do so at once, faith was given to us by baptism; but “not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8).

Faith is the foundation of all virtues which will be so much more perfect as our faith is greater and more ardent. Let us do all we can to increase it. We cannot give it to ourselves, but we can increase it, like any other grace.

First, by prayer as the Apostles cried out, “Increase our faith” (Lk 17:5). Again, by a continual exercise of it, doing everything in a spirit of faith as it is written, “The just shall live by faith” (Gal 3:11).

If we were penetrated with the thought of God’s presence, we would never sin. We should pray well, be humble and modest in prosperity, strong and courageous in trials and temptations.

We should do even the smallest thing with the greatest care, with a pure intention and ardent love. In one word, ‘faith’.

Faith raises us above material things, above what we perceive by our senses and understanding. It raises us into the invisible, unto God, and the heights of his infinite perfections. It opens to us the splendor, glory, and happiness of our future country, Paradise.

By faith our thoughts and aspirations become great and noble. We disdain all that is not eternal. Our sole ambition is to lay up treasures in heaven. Faith raises us above ourselves, our weaknesses, our inconstancy.

We become strong, invincible, even terrible to the devils. Like the first Christians, millions of martyrs who triumphed by faith over threats and persuasions, horrors of prison and exile, even cruel suffering, death.

Read that wonderful picture of faith written by St Paul. (Heb 11:1-40) By faith even our most ordinary actions become noble, meritorious, often heroic before God.

These thoughts doubtless will rekindle in our heart an ardent desire of excelling in faith, in that lively faith which proves itself by works and by a holy life. By these merits, ie, by the conformity of our actions with our faith, we can judge of its worth and degree. “Try your own selves if you be in faith.” (2 Cor 13:5)

We believe, for instance, that our immortal soul is worth far more care than our body. Yet we do not act so. We believe that God sees us, observes and reads the depths of our heart. But when alone we act as if there were no witness of our grave negligences and omissions, of our vain and useless thought.

We believe that without the spirit of prayer, which supposes recollection and mortification, we are a Christian only in name. Yet we prepare our mental prayer with little efforts to become recollected and mortified.

Ref: cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp 465-7

If You Want Peace, Serve the Poor

The divine master has taught us by his words the demanding features of that poverty which leads us to true freedom. He, “though he was in the form of God, did not deem equality with God as something to be exploited; but emptied himself, took the form of a slave.” (Phil 2:6-7)

May rich and poor recognize they are brothers and sisters. May they share what they have with one another as children of the one God who loves everyone, wills the good of everyone, and offers to everyone the gift of peace!

Ref: Pope John Paul II, “Breakfast with the Pope”, 1984, 8

Interior life is destined to grow

On one occasion, Jesus asks the Apostles to listen attentively to his doctrine: “Take heed ... To him who has, more will be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Mk 4:24-5) St John Chrysostom comments:

“To him who is diligent and fervent will be given all the things that depend on God; but to him who has no love or fervour and who does not do what depends on him, what belongs to God will not be given him. For ‘even what he thinks he has will be taken away’ (Lk 8:18), says the Lord, not because God takes it away from him, but because he is incapable of receiving fresh graces.” (“Homilies on St Matthew’s Gospel”, 45, 1)

“To him who has, more will be given ...” (Lk 19:26) is a basic teaching for the interior life of every Christian. But he who fails to make the inspirations and help of the Holy Spirit bear fruit will become even poorer.

Interior life, like love, is destined to grow: “If you say ‘enough’ you are already dead.” (St Augustine, “Sermon 51”, 3) The interior life always demands progress, correspondence, being ready to receive new graces. If you don’t go forward, you go backwards. God has promised that we will always have access to all the help we need.

The difficulties, temptations, and obstacles we meet cause us to grow; the greater the difficulty, the more grace we receive. If he permits us to experience great temptations or setbacks, the Lord will give us still greater help to overcome them. Everything that seems to retard our holiness will become the cause of spiritual progress.

Only a lack of love, such as lukewarmness, is what causes the soul’s life to fall sick or die. Only a bad will, a lack of generosity towards God, can delay or prevent our union with him. “The vessel of faith carried to the fountain is filled according to its capacity.” (St Augustine, “Commentary on St John’s Gospel”, 17)

Our Lady, who is ‘Mother of Grace, of Mercy, of Forgiveness’, will always enkindle in us the hope of attaining the ambitious goal of becoming saints. Let us place the fruits of these moments of personal prayer in her hands, with the conviction that if we correspond with grace, still more grace will be given us.

Ref: cf F Fernandez, “In Conversaton with God”, 3:138-9, 144

Foundation of Our Lady of Cambron, near Mons in Hainault, by Anselm de Trasigny, lord of Peronne. — MS. of the year 1148; Hanno’s Chronicle. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; http://www.bethlehemobserver.com); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)

‘Notre Dame de Cambron.’ France. Church built in the 17th Century. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)

Mother of Mercy. (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html). Moveable feast-- Saturday before 4th Sunday of July.