Have Faith

posted September 14, 2010

by David A Wemhoff

Faith was the focus of the readings the first weekend of August.

This First Saturday of the month of August, the Gospel is from Matthew 17:14-20. In it, we hear of how a man came from the crowd to beseech Jesus to cure his son who suffered from an illness that made the son a lunatic, we are told. The disciples had been unable to cure the boy, and so the man came to the Master, Jesus. Jesus rebuked the demons that held the boy in bondage and they fled the boy, who was then cured. The disciples "approached Jesus in private" to ask why they could not cure the boy, and Jesus’ answer is "Because of your little faith."

For the first Sunday of the month of August, the Gospel is from Luke 12:32-48. In it, we hear of the parable taught by Jesus of the master of the house who goes away and leaves a servant in charge to care for the household, and the servant does not know when the master will return. Jesus tells us that "the servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely" while the one who did not know the will of the master but acted wrongly shall be beaten less severely. In conclusion, Jesus tells us that "much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more." At the heart of this parable is the need for faith to continue to do the will of the master, or the Father.

In both Gospels, faith is the virtue that allows us to do the will of God during difficult times (e.g., not knowing His return) and faith is that virtue that allows us to do that which God asks us to do though it seem to defy our own wishes and desire, or defy all the logic or science or "common sense" of the day. We see this set out even more in the first reading for Sunday in St Paul’s letter to the Hebrews (11:1-2, 8-12) in which St. Paul writes of how Abraham obeyed when called to go out to a place to receive an inheritance though he knew not where he was going; or of how Abraham was able to father a child at an advanced age when even Sarah his wife was barren; or of how Abraham was prepared to offer up his beloved son Isaac when asked by God.

So what really is faith? St. Paul says in Hebrews that it is "the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen." Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, a French Dominican who lived from 1877 to 1964 wrote in The Three Ages of the Interior Life (Volume 1, Tan Books and Publishers, 1989) that "our intellect cannot know our supernatural end without the infused light of faith". (pp 55-56) Our end is to be with God, and faith, as Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange teaches, "makes us believe all that God has revealed because He is Truth itself" and it "allows us to hear a divine harmony that is inaccessible to every other means of knowing" because faith "is like a higher sense of hearing for the audition of a spiritual symphony which has God for its composer." (p. 52). Indeed Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange writes that "Between the unbeliever who studies the Gospel, and the believ3r, there is a difference similar to that which exists between two person who are listening to a Beethoven symphony, one of whom has a musical ear and the other has not. Both hear all the notes of the symphony, but one alone grasps its meaning and its soul." (p. 54)

One can study and not have faith. One can learn but have no faith. One can feel the power and truth of the Faith, and be touched by the martyrs and saints, and still have no faith. Faith is a gift given by God, but we are to ask for it from Him. St. Thomas Aquinas, another Dominican, teaches that with faith we are able to detach ourselves from the transient things, the things of this life and "tend towards God". (p. 359) Faith purifies the intellect teaches the Angelic Doctor, and that is essential because it is the intellect that directs the will. If based on error, then the will leads us to do evil. St. Peter Cajetan, whose feast day is August 7, today, taught that faith cause us to adhere to revealed truths and it leads us to consider and judge all things according to these truths. (pp. 359-360.) Hence, we come to know God’s will, and with the help of hope and charity, we live God’s will – despite the odds.

And it is part of the Church’s brilliance, or Divine inspiration, that allows us to have the examples of the saints and martyrs to help us live our lives by faith. Earlier, I said that St. Cajetan, a priest, has his feast day on this date. Born in 1480 and raised by a pious mother, he sought to live an obscure life but the holy father, Julius II, called on him to be a protonotary apostolic. He engaged himself in working for the glory of God and the salvation of souls and formed the idea of founding a society in which the members would strive to live like the apostles of old. He began the Order of Regular Clerics, known now as the Theatines, which order was approved in 1524. Always zealous in saving souls, he was horribly treated by invading forces in 1527, but he persisted and one can conclude that this persistence in his heavenly mission was made possible by the many hours he spent in prayer. St. Cajetan died in 1547 after having been worn out from his many holy labors.

Today is also the feast day of Pope St. Sixtus II who reigned for one year from 257 to 258 as Holy Father. When a persecution of Christians was allowed by the emperor Valerian, he was arrested, examined, and executed. He did not flinch, he did not renounce the faith, he did not equivocate. He laid down his life for the Faith.

And of course, how can we forget our founder, St. Dominic this weekend. His feast day is August 8. St Dominic whose life was spent preaching the Gospel, and all things from God, thereby invited all men to ask for the gift of faith. Amongst the heretics he taught truth to call them back to accepting the gift of faith.

Faith can be a scary thing. But it is essential for our salvation.

JMJ

	HOMECommentsEDITORIAL POLICIESARCHIVESCONTACT INFORMATIONRADIO INTERVIEWS
Have Faith posted September 14, 2010 by David A Wemhoff Faith was the focus of the readings the first weekend of August. This First Saturday of the month of August, the Gospel is from Matthew 17:14-20. In it, we hear of how a man came from the crowd to beseech Jesus to cure his son who suffered from an illness that made the son a lunatic, we are told. The disciples had been unable to cure the boy, and so the man came to the Master, Jesus. Jesus rebuked the demons that held the boy in bondage and they fled the boy, who was then cured. The disciples "approached Jesus in private" to ask why they could not cure the boy, and Jesus’ answer is "Because of your little faith." For the first Sunday of the month of August, the Gospel is from Luke 12:32-48. In it, we hear of the parable taught by Jesus of the master of the house who goes away and leaves a servant in charge to care for the household, and the servant does not know when the master will return. Jesus tells us that "the servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely" while the one who did not know the will of the master but acted wrongly shall be beaten less severely. In conclusion, Jesus tells us that "much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more." At the heart of this parable is the need for faith to continue to do the will of the master, or the Father. In both Gospels, faith is the virtue that allows us to do the will of God during difficult times (e.g., not knowing His return) and faith is that virtue that allows us to do that which God asks us to do though it seem to defy our own wishes and desire, or defy all the logic or science or "common sense" of the day. We see this set out even more in the first reading for Sunday in St Paul’s letter to the Hebrews (11:1-2, 8-12) in which St. Paul writes of how Abraham obeyed when called to go out to a place to receive an inheritance though he knew not where he was going; or of how Abraham was able to father a child at an advanced age when even Sarah his wife was barren; or of how Abraham was prepared to offer up his beloved son Isaac when asked by God. So what really is faith? St. Paul says in Hebrews that it is "the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen." Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, a French Dominican who lived from 1877 to 1964 wrote in The Three Ages of the Interior Life (Volume 1, Tan Books and Publishers, 1989) that "our intellect cannot know our supernatural end without the infused light of faith". (pp 55-56) Our end is to be with God, and faith, as Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange teaches, "makes us believe all that God has revealed because He is Truth itself" and it "allows us to hear a divine harmony that is inaccessible to every other means of knowing" because faith "is like a higher sense of hearing for the audition of a spiritual symphony which has God for its composer." (p. 52). Indeed Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange writes that "Between the unbeliever who studies the Gospel, and the believ3r, there is a difference similar to that which exists between two person who are listening to a Beethoven symphony, one of whom has a musical ear and the other has not. Both hear all the notes of the symphony, but one alone grasps its meaning and its soul." (p. 54) One can study and not have faith. One can learn but have no faith. One can feel the power and truth of the Faith, and be touched by the martyrs and saints, and still have no faith. Faith is a gift given by God, but we are to ask for it from Him. St. Thomas Aquinas, another Dominican, teaches that with faith we are able to detach ourselves from the transient things, the things of this life and "tend towards God". (p. 359) Faith purifies the intellect teaches the Angelic Doctor, and that is essential because it is the intellect that directs the will. If based on error, then the will leads us to do evil. St. Peter Cajetan, whose feast day is August 7, today, taught that faith cause us to adhere to revealed truths and it leads us to consider and judge all things according to these truths. (pp. 359-360.) Hence, we come to know God’s will, and with the help of hope and charity, we live God’s will – despite the odds. And it is part of the Church’s brilliance, or Divine inspiration, that allows us to have the examples of the saints and martyrs to help us live our lives by faith. Earlier, I said that St. Cajetan, a priest, has his feast day on this date. Born in 1480 and raised by a pious mother, he sought to live an obscure life but the holy father, Julius II, called on him to be a protonotary apostolic. He engaged himself in working for the glory of God and the salvation of souls and formed the idea of founding a society in which the members would strive to live like the apostles of old. He began the Order of Regular Clerics, known now as the Theatines, which order was approved in 1524. Always zealous in saving souls, he was horribly treated by invading forces in 1527, but he persisted and one can conclude that this persistence in his heavenly mission was made possible by the many hours he spent in prayer. St. Cajetan died in 1547 after having been worn out from his many holy labors. Today is also the feast day of Pope St. Sixtus II who reigned for one year from 257 to 258 as Holy Father. When a persecution of Christians was allowed by the emperor Valerian, he was arrested, examined, and executed. He did not flinch, he did not renounce the faith, he did not equivocate. He laid down his life for the Faith. And of course, how can we forget our founder, St. Dominic this weekend. His feast day is August 8. St Dominic whose life was spent preaching the Gospel, and all things from God, thereby invited all men to ask for the gift of faith. Amongst the heretics he taught truth to call them back to accepting the gift of faith. Faith can be a scary thing. But it is essential for our salvation.