I was on the net reading catholic.asia@gmail.com. And there was an inspirational passage which touched me deeply. An elderly gentleman in his 80’s, arrived at a health centre to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am . The nurse saw him looking at his watch and she decided, since she was not busy with another patient, to check his wound. On examination it was found well healed, so she talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and re-dress his wound. While taking care of his wound, she began to engage him in conversation.  

The nurse asked him if he had any urgent appointment that morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told her no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. She then inquired as to her health. He told her that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer’s disease. As they talked and as the dressing was over, she asked whether his wife would be worried if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now. The nurse was surprised, and asked him. "And you still go every morning, even though she doesn’t know who you are?" He smiled and said, "She doesn’t know me, but I still know who she is."

I had to hold back my tears as I was reading this story and thought, "That is the kind of love we all want in our life." True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance in faith, of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be. 

But often we are not fortunate enough to experience such unconditional, compassionate and all encompassing love in real life. Sometimes we even wonder why God is also silent and indifferent to our plight. We pray for happiness, love, good health, and well being of our own and peace. We express so many of our needs in what we call “the prayer of the faithful”. We implore and virtually plead for divine mercy in our churches and shrines. We do penance, fasting prayer and night vigils as we experience anguish and frustrations in our life. We wonder why they are not blessed or are not receiving deliverance from God when it is needed. We lack faith, which comes from the Spirit of God. We at times even get angry, blaming God for his silence in our times of trouble. We read in the Scriptures in many places very consoling and healing words like “Don’t be troubled” (Jn: 14:1); “Peace be with you” (Jn: 14: 27 ); “My grace is sufficient for you” (II Cor: 12:9); “I carved your name on my palm” (Is: 49: 16); “I will not test you beyond your strength” (I Cor: 10: 13 ) and so on.

But in real life, we face disasters and disappointments. We start questioning: How can a caring and compassionate God create such havoc, loss and anguish? At times we ask ourselves, “Why should I believe in God when my prayers go unanswered”? Sometimes we say,
“If our God is alive, why is there so much suffering?” Is he so insensitive and unaware that he does not know of our challenges? When everything goes upside down in life and when we see unjust people thrive and enjoy life, how can we have faith in this God? Where is the God we pray to? Is He concerned about the welfare of his favourite children or wondering why His chosen ones become martyrs or are killed?                                                                    

When we are struggling with such questions and looking for answers, here comes an announcement by Holy Father Benedict XVI about a special “Year of faith”, a call for an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord in order to help us appreciate the gift of faith, discover the reality of who God is and strengthen our commitment to sharing faith with others.

It is the ardent desire of the Holy Father that this year would arouse in every believer the aspiration to profess his/her faith in fullness and with renewed conviction, with confidence and hope. It is our hope that the Year of Faith will not only be filled with exemplary initiatives and beautiful celebrations, but also promote a sense of renewal in the profound relationship between God, his Son Jesus Christ and believers, against the ever decreasing awareness of the religious dimension of human life. A serious problem for the Church today is the lack of knowledge of the faith, “religious illiteracy”, and with this illiteracy we are unable to grow. We ourselves must therefore recover this content, as a wealth of unity, not a packet of dogmas and laws.

What is faith? What is this year of faith calling us to? What is the context which inspired the Holy Father to choose this theme for this year? How will this year be a moment of grace to reinforce our faith in Him and to proclaim Him with joy to the people of our time?

A child was crossing the narrow bridge with her father. He said to her: “Hold my hand child as we are crossing a narrow bridge. The child after a while said: Daddy, you hold my hand. What is the difference? the Father asked. The child said: “In case anything happens, I may let go of your hand and I may fall. Even if anything happens to you, if you hold me you will not let go my hand”. This is the simple definition of faith.

Faith is a profoundly a personal act:

The faith of Abraham has been lauded by Yahweh in Gen: 22: 18 . Paul reminds us in Gal: 3: 7, “That those who follow the way of faith are the children of Abraham and by faith the righteous shall live” (Gal: 3:11 ). Let us think of the woman who touches the hem of his garment in the hope of being healed (cf. Mt 9:20 -21); she entrusts herself totally and the Lord says: your faith has made you well (cf. Mt 9:22 ). He also says to the lepers and to the only one who turns back: your faith has made you well (cf. Lk 17:19 ). To the two blind men who were calling out His name for healing Jesus asked whether they have faith in Him and touching their eyes He said:, “As you have believed, so let it be” (Mt: 9: 29). When the gentile woman reposed her faith in Jesus, He was astonished and said, “Woman, great is your faith!” (Mt: 15: 28 ).

Thus faith is initially and especially a personal encounter, it is touching Christ’s garment, being touched by Christ, being in touch with Christ, to trust in Christ, to have and to find Christ’s love; and the key to truth, to universality, is Christ’s love. Jesus emphatically states in the following passages of Scripture: Lk: 1:37 ; Mt: 17: 20b; 19: 26 ; Mk: 9:23 ; Jn: 14:12 ; Phil: 4:13 , that nothing is impossible for the one who has faith in His Father.  

Faith is also a communitarian act

Jesus condemns the faithless people and his disciples saying “You, faithless and evil people” (Mt: 17: 17-20). He was surprised and astounded at the disbelief of the people of his home town (Mk: 6:6). When the paralyzed man was brought to Jesus, Jesus saw their faith and healed the sick person (Mt: 9:2).

Faith is not merely something you exercise during life’s moments of crisis. It is not just something to consider when “things aren’t going well.” In other words, faith is not just for the “bad times”—it is full-time! Grasp this vital point. Faith is completely inseparable from the entire spiritual understanding through which you are to confront all the issues you face in the Christian “walk” (II Cor. 5:7). Paul told Timothy, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life” (I Tim. 6:12). Faith is more than a battle. It is a war that all Christians wage throughout their lives! And it is not an easy war, won by victory in a single battle. It involves many battles. II Cor: 10:4.  

My Faith experience with Tihar Jail inmates  

Bearing in mind the vision statement of Jesus, “I have been sent to proclaim release to the captives” (Lk: 4:18), I have made up my mind to proclaim through the prison ministry the profound dignity of the human persons who have committed some crime in a weak moment or by the influence of some others. I have learnt many bitter truths by my interaction with the inmates especially with the Christian group. They gave me a deep and profound knowledge of the Scriptures and they have strengthened my hope in the living God and my faith experience.  

Space does not permit me to describe all my experiences in just a few pages here. Many a time the faith of the inmates is being sorely tested!  

I remember the way an inmate answered my simple question: “When will you be out from here?”, “Sister, In His time….How can a pot or the clay ask the potter…(Rom: 9: 20-21). Coming to prison is not a curse for me. I consider it a blessing in a way though I want to go home soon. Here I get time to reflect about my life; I spend time in contemplation. He has a plan for me in everything (Jer: 29:11). God disciplines those whom he loves. (Heb: 12: 5-11)”.  

When God makes a promise, He keeps it. He is faithful. Human beings may break their promises, but God does not. If He tells you that He will do something for you, He will fulfill His promise. We have faith as an assurance that He will. So, browbeating yourself into faith is silly. It suggests that you doubt God will do His part after you have done yours. Faith is relaxed. It is calm. It is sure. Where most people might have great doubts, the person led by faith is confident that God is guiding the final outcome. I have learned two things about answered prayer.  

First, God always answers our prayers, if I seek His Will, but second, He almost never answers them in the way that we expect. Prayer is not changing the mind of God but understanding the mind of God. When things go my way, I have faith in God. But when things go God’s way, He has faith in me. Besides, it is far more important that God answers our prayers and fulfills His promises, than HOW He does it! And He always knows the best time and way to do it anyway. It doesn’t matter what His answer is if I try to seek God’s will always.                                                                

When the waves were sweeping the boat, the disciples of Jesus woke Him up and cried out, “Lord, save us, we are lost” (Matt. 8:25). The disciples actually thought that they were about to die. They lacked even basic human confidence that, with Christ in the boat, this could not happen. Christ’s response is instructive for all alive today. He asked two separate questions—with one found in each gospel account. Let’s connect them. In Matthew, Christ asked the disciples, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” (8:26). In Luke’s account Christ was a little more blunt with His disciples when He asked them, “Where is your faith?” (Lk 8:25). Of course, the disciples were not converted at this point. Lacking the Holy Spirit, they were not able to develop real godly faith. Apparently, however, they did not even have any temporary human faith at the time. However, Christ’s towering questions remain for all of us—Why are you fearful?—and where is your faith?  

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews has often been called the “faith” chapter of the Bible because it centers on faith. It describes many of God’s greatest servants and how their faith enabled them to perform great acts and miracles, or to endure severe trials. This long chapter is very inspiring, and all who want to have real faith should periodically read it. It contains the word faith two dozen times.  

We read in Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” How can we get it? God wants us to learn to rely on Him—to trust Him completely in everything! We really do not have a choice if we want to please Him. Like any human father, God does not want us to fret, worry and agonize over our needs. In numerous places throughout His Word, He promises to provide for us in all circumstances. He will always take care of us. Let us not doubt! Let us believe Him! Trust Him! Wait on Him! Expect Him to keep all His promises—and He will! Draw closer to God. Get to know God. Surrender all the way to Him, and do His will. And then pray. You get to know Him in prayer. We are too close to the material things. Through prayer, much more prayer, you can come closer to God and the spiritual things. And what a happy, joyous experience it is, once you have really done it!  

One of the most over-arching promises in the Bible is this one, found in Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." God does not promise us riches in this life; God does not promise us perfect health; God does not promise that our life will be trouble-free. But God does promise that He will work all things out so that they will be for our good, if we are among those who love Him and are called by Him.    

Now notice what the father of a demon-possessed boy did. (Mk: 9: 23 ). He brought the boy to Jesus so that he could cast out the demon. Yes, said Jesus, everything is possible for the person who has faith. And the father of the child at once cried out, and said with tears, “Lord, I do have faith, but not enough; help me in my unbelief.” Notice that he had enough faith to bring the boy to Jesus. And he had enough faith to ask for more faith. And if we want more, we have to ask for it. Ask God to give you more faith, and He will.  

Sr. Inigo, SSA  New Delhi