How
is faith working in your life?
Peter seems to be
on the right track. When, in Mark’s
Gospel, Jesus asks, Who do you say that I
am?, Peter responds, You are the
Christ. Good answer! But then he blows it. When Jesus goes on to teach the disciples that the Son
of Man must suffer greatly, Peter objects, rebuking Jesus! Peter has
fallen back on reasoning as any ordinary human being in his time might do,
trying to fit Jesus’ work as Messiah, as the Christ,
into human parameters: Peter thinks
Jesus should wield his power and overthrow Roman rule. Jesus sets him straight: You are
not thinking as God does, but as human beings do. But human sight is limited, and unfortunately it is often what we settle
for. Faith is the ability to see past
human parameters, to get a broader view, God’s view. Faith in Jesus is not
about our expectations, about what we want – it’s about understanding who he
is, why he came, what he did, and what it has to do with us.
Faith thus requires
us to open our ears to God, as the
prophet Isaiah does, that we might hear,
and listen! What God has made possible
is an ongoing discovery for Isaiah, and it should be for us as well. We need to learn our own limits, know where
our defenses are and when they kick in, so that we can disarm them and remain
open to God. Faith requires that we
strive to understand God in us, so that we can fulfill what God requires of
us. We also have to be aware of what we cannot do, what only God makes possible,
as Psalm 116 points out, acknowledging our dependence on God who keeps the little ones and saves.
Faith is very much
important to the author of the Letter of James, who reminds his readers that
faith can’t be earned, but is given for a reason. Faith, once given, must be put into action,
into works; as gift it is meant to be
used and then shared, given away as gift.
When we open our hearts in love and compassion for another, we are thinking as God does, and God is
revealed. I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works, James writes, and
you in turn should show me that the faith that is alive in you, show me that
the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection changes you. Faith is a gift, given for the sake of the
world, that our lives might grace that world and make it a better place,
thereby helping redemption along.
How has your faith
made you gift for other today?
This class is
based on Fr. Pat’s Scripture class.
Image source:
www.wordle.net
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