Thought of the Day December 6, 2022 Faith in Advent
This is now faith that gives birth to new life. It is placed at the end of a process of which, in the tenth chapter of the Letter to the Romans, St. Paul traces, almost visually, the various phases, drawing them on the map of the human body. Everything begins, he says, from the ears, from hearing the proclamation of the Gospel: “Faith comes from listening”.. From the ears, the movement passes to the heart, where the fundamental decision is made“ with the heart one believes”. From the heart, the movement goes back to the mouth: “with the mouth one makes the profession of faith”:.
The process does not end there, but – from the ears, the heart and the mouth – it passes to the hands. Yes, because “faith works though love “, says the Apostle (Gal 5: 6). Saint James can feel comfortable. There is also room for “works”: not before, however, but after (logically if not chronologically) faith. “One does not arrive at faith – says Saint Gregory the Great – starting from the virtues, but to the virtues starting from faith” .(Fr. Cantalamessa)During this Advent season we are called to reflect on our journey of faith. It began with the faith of our parents who brought us to the fount of Baptism. We were instructed in the faith by our parents and others, who witnessed their faith to us. Hopefully, there was a time our hearts were ignited by what we heard that we embraced it as our own. Then we began to profess it with our lips with personal conviction. But this acceptance and confession needed to be expressed in works of service and love to others. Advent is a time to renew our faith in the Lord Jesus and prepare for his coming in a fresh new way through acts of service and love to others. Isn't this what we should be expressing with our Christmas exchange of gifts, with our festive gatherings, with our service to those less fortunate than ourselves. We are professing our faith in the Lord Jesus who came, who comes and who will come again.
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