We Christians in the 21st century have had to endure over 400 years of the debates between Protestants and Catholics, in particular the debates over faith and good works. And, as is often the case in these types of ongoing confrontations, I think we have allowed ourselves to be forced into hardened positions where we buy into characterizations that we shouldn’t actually believe. In particular, when you listen to these Protestant and Catholic arguments over faith and good works, both sides seem to depict faith as a mostly internal, almost intellectual state, a mental adherence to a set of doctrines.
In today’s reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans, the very book usually at the center of the Protestant and Catholic discussions, we hear Paul’s understanding of what faith is through the image of the patriarch Abraham. And when we consider Abraham’s story, we see that his faith goes far beyond doctrines. Yes, to be sure, in our Judeo-Christian tradition, Abraham is praised as the one who rejected his ancestors’ idolatry and understood the reality of the one, single LORD of all creation. But in the Scriptures, his faith embodies more than just a philosophical commitment to monotheism. The faith of Abraham really consists in two very closely related things. First, Abraham accepted God’s invitation into a relationship of deep trust in the LORD and His promises, even in the face of great challenges. And second, empowered by this trust, Abraham is willing to take risks and be vulnerable.
When faith is viewed this way, the whole faith and good works debate almost just disappears. Because true faith is not just intellectual. And the good works are not some labors by which we earn the favor of God and the reward of heaven. Instead, we have a living relationship of trust in God; and when trust in another person is authentic, it naturally has consequences for the decisions we make in our lives.
Today’s saint, Ignatius of Antioch, embodied this kind of faith in such inspiring ways. As the Christian bishop, he was arrested by Trajan in Antioch and sent to Rome to be killed by beasts in the amphitheater. Along the way, he wrote encouraging letters to various Christian communities, including letters sent ahead of him to the Christian community at Rome. In this letter, he assured them that it was precisely in dying for Christ that he would live out his trusting faith in Christ. He didn’t trust in his own bravery or willpower. In fact, he anticipated that, upon actually facing martyrdom, he might show signs of fear and that influential Christians there might then work to get him spared. So he wrote to them that, no matter what he were to say later, they should know for certain that his true intention was to die for Christ, and they should honor that truth.
In our own walk of discipleship, we need not trust in our own strength or discipline or willpower. We can safely trust in Christ’s mercy and love; we can trust in His faithfulness to carry us along in our lives of faith.
- Today’s Readings
- Father Charlie's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
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