“just have faith”
“After the word came the work, which served even more than the word to stop the mouth of the Pharisees. For he who now came to Him was a ruler of the synagogue, and his was a grievous sorrow: for the girl was his only daughter, and twelve years old; when the flower of age begins.” [1]
The Sacraments have both form (word) and matter (work). There are words, spoken and works physically done. The “work” done in the Sacraments is not only a physically work, but a spiritual work because of the Grace of God, for a Sacrament is an outward sign of an inner Grace. “Often Jesus asks the sick to believe. He makes use of signs to heal: spittle and the laying on of hands, mud and washing. The sick try to touch him, ‘for power came forth from him and healed them all.’ And so in the sacraments Christ continues to ‘touch’ us in order to heal us.” [2]
What is the word that Jesus gave the ruler of the synagogue? “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” How humbling it must have been for Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, to hear these words. He was told by Jesus, a rabbi, someone lower than Him in position to have no fear, and to have faith.
How well do we take it when someone lower than us in rank or younger than us tells us to not fear and have faith? Jesus is merciful to Jarius and to us, in that He does not just give us His “works”, but He gives us His “words”.
Both the “words” and “works” of Christ help us to believe, to have faith. What are the “words” and “works” of Christ that increase your faith? How do the “words” and “works” of Christ invite us to respond and freely give our assent to truth?
What is Faith? Faith is both a gift of God and a human act by which the believer gives personal adherence to God who invites his response, and freely assents to the whole truth that God has revealed. It is the revelation of God which the Church proposes for our belief, and which we profess in the Creed, celebrate in the sacraments, live by right conduct that fulfills the twofold commandment of charity (as specified in the ten commandments), and respond to in our prayer of faith. Faith is both a theological virtue given by God as grace, and an obligation which flows from the first commandment of God (CCC 26, 142, 150, 1814, 2087) [3]
Do we have knowledge and trust in the “words” and “works” of Christ? Faith is knowledge and trust. It has seven characteristics: [4]
1. Faith is a sheer gift of God, which we receive when we fervently ask for it.
2. Faith is the supernatural power that is absolutely necessary if we are to attain salvation.
3. Faith requires the free will and clear understanding of a person when he accepts the divine invitation.
4. Faith is absolutely certain, because Jesus guarantees it.
5. Faith is incomplete unless it leads to active love.
6. Faith grows when we listen more and more carefully to God’s Word and enter a lively exchange with im in prayer.
7. Faith gives us even now a foretaste of the joy of heaven.
In one word or a few words how can we sum up the seven characteristics of faith?
1. Gift
2. Necessary for Salvation
3. Not forced but free
4. Absolute
5. Leads to love
6. Grows with prayer
7. Taste of Heaven
In number four, what does absolute mean? “Many people say that to believe is not enough for them; they want to know. The word ‘believe’, however, has two completely different meanings. If a parachutist asks the clerk at the airport, ‘Is the parachute packed safely?’ and the other man answers casually, ‘Hmm, I believe so’, then that will not be enough for him; he would like to know it for sure. But if he has asked a friend to pack the parachute, then the friend will answer the same question by saying, ‘Yes, I did it personally. You can trust me!’ And to that the parachutist will reply, ‘Yes, I believe you.’ This belief is the kind of belief that prompted Abraham to travel to the Promised Land; that is the faith that caused the martyrs to stand fast till death; that is the faith that still today upholds Christians in persecution. A faith that encompasses the whole person.” [5]
Faith is not just trusting and knowing the “words” and “works” of Christ, but in fact being united to Jesus, who speaks and works and then allowing Jesus to speak and work through us. It is this life, which Christ’s Resurrection gives to the believer. “But there is more. Jesus links faith in the resurrection to his own person: ‘I am the Resurrection and the life.’ It is Jesus himself who on the last day will raise up those who have believed in him, who have eaten his body and drunk his blood. Already now in this present life he gives a sign and pledge of this by restoring some of the dead to life, announcing thereby his own Resurrection, though it was to be of another order. He speaks of this unique event as the ‘sign of Jonah,’ the sign of the temple: he announces that he will be put to death but rise thereafter on the third day. [6]
The first word out of the angel’s mouth after the Resurrection was, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said…” [7] The resurrection eliminates fear. This plea to not be afraid is also spoke by Jesus, who tells Jarius to “not be afraid”
What does fear have to do with faith? If we have fear, we cannot have faith. After Jarius is able to conquer his fears, the doors of faith are opened. Saint John tells us, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear…” [8] If perfect love drives out fear, then the opposite is also true. Perfect fear drives out love. The theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity are connected. If we are full of fear, not only can we not love, but we also lack faith, and begin to despair rather than hope. The elimination of fear is essential to living the theological virtues.
“Fear not, little flock, for it hath pleased your Father to give you a kingdom. Sell what you possess and give alms. Make to yourselves bags which grow not old, a treasure in heaven which faileth not: where no thief approacheth, nor moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” [9] Why should we fear, Our Father has given us His kingdom. We pray in the Our Father, “Thy Kingdom come”, yet when we live in fear we are saying ignoring the invitation to live in the Kingdom of God.
What fears do we have? How did Jarius eliminate fear in his life? How can we eliminate fear in our life? Jarius listened to the “word” of Jesus and focused on the “word” before the “work”.
Are we focused on the “words” of Christ? The words of Christ are found in scripture, in the Liturgy (both Mass and Liturgy of the Hours), in the Sacraments, in prayer, and in the teachings and truth of the Church. The words of Christ are present and accessible to us, are we listening?
[1] The Sunday Sermons of the Great Fathers; Vol. 4; Chrysostom, page 308
[2] Catechism of the Catholic Church; 1504
[3] Catechism of the Catholic Church; Glossary
[4] YouCat (Youth Catechism); Section 21
[5] YouCat (Youth Catechism); Section 21
[6] Catechism of the Catholic Church; 994
[7] Matthew 28:5
[8] 1 John 4:18
[9] Lk. 12:32-34, Gospel, Feast of St. Paulinus, 22 June