In Your Light We See Light

The best symbol of faith is light:

In your light, Lord, we see light (Psalm 36:9).

There are two lights.

The first light is the light of God that shines within us. Without this light we would not see the second light – the substance of faith.

The substance of faith is expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Creed, Code, Cult, Prayer.

That is, all the great faiths of the world profess faith, how we live faith, how we celebrate faith, how we pray with faith.

The best definition of faith is Hebrews 11:

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen.

It is people of faith who best illustrate the meaning of the definition. Hebrews 11 culminates in the personages of Abraham and Sarah. They have ‘resurrection’ faith:

Abraham was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead.

Abraham is reaching into God himself:

We do not believe in formulas, but in those realities they express, which faith allows us to touch.

The believer’s act of faith does not terminate in the propositions, but in the realities which they express (CCC 170).

In other words, when we really believe, when we joyfully celebrate faith, when we authentically live faith and pray our faith, then we really do touch God.

When we say, ‘I believe in God, the Father almighty,’ we are placing our faith in God, not so much in the formula.

With the light of faith shining within us, we ‘see’ the light.

We begin to experience that God is powerful, yet gentle, tenaciously tender, forgiving and merciful.

Can we see why the gift of faith – light – is so important?

Humbly, therefore, we ask for the gift of faith – always and everywhere.

Amen.