Living the Truth in Love. Believe by Believing Love by Loving- Hope by Hoping

Transcription

1 Living the Truth in Love Believe by Believing Love by Loving- Hope by Hoping I remember being told that the best way to learn how to ride a bike was simply to ride it. Naturally, a beginner had to be careful in balancing him or herself as one cultivated this new skill but practice would improve the bike riding. Basically, the only way to learn to ride a bike was to do it. The advice is good not only for riding a bike but for most things in life and especially in the spiritual life. Certainly, Pope Benedict XVI's Lenten message for this year, Believing in Charity Brings Forth the Works of Charity, is a good example of this. In his message, the Holy Father reminds us of the primacy of love in the Christian life. Building upon his first encyclical, God is Love, and in the context of the Year of Faith, the Pope calls us to meditate on the relationship between faith and charity -- the relationship between believing in the God of Jesus Christ and love which is the fruit of the Holy Spirit and which leads us to God and to others. In describing the intimate relationship between faith and charity, Pope Benedict XVI gives us a wonderful description of the goal of Christian life: "The Christian 1

2 life consists in continuously scaling the mountain to meet God and then coming back down, bearing the love and strength drawn from him, to serve our brothers and sisters with God's own love." In reading the Pope's Lenten message, it is important to recall his Apostolic Letter for the opening of the Year of Faith, titled Porta Fidei, The Door of Faith. Here the Pope reminds us that we are all on a journey of faith in this life which begins when we enter the door of faith through Baptism. That journey will conclude when we part from this world and enter into the fullness of life in the heavenly kingdom. During this journey we encounter the many joys which God wants us to share in life, but also the many trials and sorrows which come our way. Both the joys and sorrows will be encountered by all, whether one has faith or not, but faith makes all the difference in encountering them. Faith especially makes clear that, while this earthly life is good and meant to be enjoyed, it is transitory and is ultimately a journey to the fullness of joy with God in heaven where every tear and sorrow will be wiped away. Pope Benedict s premise, believing in charity brings forth the works of charity, leads to the natural conclusion that one loves by loving. This is very similar to the principle found in his letter, Porta Fidei, in regard to how faith is strengthened. He tells us, "Only through believing, then, does faith grow and become stronger; there is no other possibility for possessing certitude with regard to one's life apart from self abandonment, in a continuous crescendo, into the hands of a love that seems to grow constantly because it has its origin in God." In other words, we believe by believing and in this believing we grow into the love of God. Just as we believe by believing, we also love by loving. Here we see the irrevocable bond between love and faith. 2

3 Perseverance and endurance are essential to faith and love. Perseverance is a very important quality of life which is much needed in our society today. We see too much of a lack of commitment especially to that which is meant for a lifetime. The all too prevalent breakup of marriage and family life is one example of this. A commitment to a person or to a way of life requires sacrifice and self-denial. Jesus always made this clear in His teaching. He taught that we must take up our cross and follow him and by losing ourselves in that cross we find ourselves. Similar to faith and love, we persevere by persevering. The quality of perseverance is strengthened the more we persevere. Discouragement is the enemy of perseverance. It is also the enemy of hope as hope is the face of perseverance. The Lord told a wonderful parable to encourage the disciples when they were prone to discouragement and to give up hope. It is the Parable of the Sower and the Seed (cf. Mk 4: 3-20). We are all familiar with it. The sower went out to sow seed and most of the seed was lost. Some of the seed fell on rocky ground where it could not take root, some on soil where birds came and ate it up and some among thorns where it chocked. Only a small portion of the seed fell on rich soil where it took root. Jesus likened the seed to the word of God. Not everyone will listen to the word of God but where the word of God takes root it produces an abundance. It is important to recognize that Jesus stressed the small amount of seed that took root in the good soil produced up to a hundred times over what it should have! This is the miracle of perseverance and hope. Jesus told this parable because His apostles were becoming discouraged and losing hope. 3

4 They saw Jesus teaching and preaching while many people listening to His word were turning away. Jesus wanted to remind His disciples that he knew not everyone would accept His message but those who accepted it would receive an overwhelming abundance. We, too, can easily lose hope when we see so many people not listening to the message of Christ and not persevering in their faith. We also can get discouraged with ourselves when we feel we are not growing the way we want or praying the way we should. It is precisely at this time that Christ's message of perseverance and not getting discouraged gives us encouragement. God's grace, when we accept it, produces more than it should and always will. As we continue our journey in life this Lent during the Year of Faith, we must do so in a spirit of faith, love and hope. As with learning to ride a bicycle, the best way to grow in these virtues is to practice them and not measure them. We believe by believing, we love by loving and we hope by hoping. We do not look for results but can be assured that the results are there through God's grace in ways we may never see. One of our most fruitful practices during Lent is our attentive participation in the greatest act of faith, hope and love - the Eucharist. The Mass is a miracle which truly changes the world as it is the action of Christ in which he saves and feeds us. To the common observer, nothing may seem to be happening. For the believer, Christ is transforming our lives as well as the world in ways beyond our imagination. This Lent, let us turn ourselves over more to the Lord by persevering in our faith, love and hope and we can be assured He will do the rest. 4

5 I had just completed writing this column when the news of Pope Benedict XVI s resignation came. I was surprised by the suddenness and timing of the announcement but not completely by the announcement itself. Pope Benedict had earlier indicated he would resign if he felt he could no longer carry out his office as Supreme Shepherd of the Church. The Holy Father is an extremely spiritual, intelligent and humble man who has been an extraordinary teacher and witness to the Church. He is not interested in what is best for him but what is best for the Church. His resignation is an example in itself and a wonderful lesson about what the season of Lent is all about. I referred to three of the many works and writings of the Pope in this column. The depth of his spirituality and intelligence, reflected in his many extraordinary ecclesial and personal writings, will have a lasting impact on the Church as well as the spiritual lives of many for years to come. I would hope that he would continue to write in his retirement but I truly believe his desire not to influence his successor in anyway will influence him to keep these writings private, at least for the present times. We give thanks to God for the wonderful years of service which Pope Benedict XVI has given to the Church and we pray for him in his years of retirement devoted to prayer. We also pray for the Cardinals of the Church who will soon gather to choose his successor under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Most Reverend Gerald M. Barbarito\ 5

6 February 22,