The Importance of Faith

Sunday’s second reading gives us St. Paul’s definition of faith: “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1)  Paul then goes on to cite the faith of Abraham who trusted God and was rewarded with a son, and a nation comprised of his descendants.  Abraham had hoped for a son and descendants, and he realized this hope through the grace of God in whom he had faith.  Faith is important, not as a means to get what we hope for, but because trust in God will transform our lives.  Abraham did not live to see his descendants become a great nation, but his faith molded him into a man of virtue and his faith was passed down to his son, his grandsons and his many descendants. 

St. Paul also notes that faith is “evidence of things not seen.”   There are many things we cannot see, but still believe in, and know to be true.  Foremost among these is love, the animating force of life.  Love gives meaning to our lives, it is the powerful force that brings us together as individuals and families, and in many cases, molds us into a community and a nation.  Love keeps families together, it engenders trust, and forms the cradle in which children learn to become mature, responsible, and principled adults.  It is important to note that faith in God means abiding in His love, and loving one another as He commands us.  Love of family enables us to make the sacrifices necessary to promote the growth and goodness of our children.  Love of country emboldens men and women to make even the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. 

Over the past few weeks I’ve been reading about George Washington and his amazing contributions to the founding of our country.  Not only did he lead the patriots in defeating the most powerful army in the world, he chaired the constitutional convention and brokered a compromise that enabled Congress to agree on the Constitution.  He served two terms as president, with no precedent for addressing the mountain of problems facing our fledgling nation.  He was an incredible leader and a man of deep faith, upon which he relied continuously, when faced with insurmountable problems.   He was often seen alone and in prayer, and he openly cited Divine Providence frequently when discussing difficult decisions.  Washington also had a prescient awareness of the importance of faith to our country.   Here’s what he said in his farewell address, upon completing his second term as President and declining a third term: “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports… reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”  

To put Washington’s comments in historical perspective, consider the fact that three years earlier, the French Revolution led to the rejection of religion, in favor of human reason alone.  At one point, a mob seized control of Notre Dame Cathedral, beheading statues and carving the words ‘To Philosophy’ over the age-old stone entrance, in a complete repudiation of  the faith that had been their national heritage for centuries.  Ultimately, the French murdered thousands of clergy and anyone associated with the aristocracy.   Rather than build a republic, guided by the principles of morality, France ended up with chaos and the tyrant Napoleon, who declared himself emperor.

Our own nation now faces a crisis in faith.  National mores have not merely slipped; they’ve been cast aside in favor of human reason that seems to prefer absolute freedom, granted not by God, but by an ever-expanding and intrusive government.  Faith and personal virtue is scoffed at now and considered “right-wing extremism.”  Last week we bestowed the Medal of Freedom on a man who was impeached by congress and held in contempt by a federal court in Arkansas that revoked his license to practice law for having impeded an investigation into allegations that he had committed rape and other lewd acts. 

Is this the Republic for which Washington and so many others made so many sacrifices for so many generations?   Can our nation remain strong when we kill so many unborn children, force employers to violate their religious principles, condone single-parent families, and at the same time trap millions of people in poverty induced by the promises of a welfare state, funding all this with mountains of debt?   Are we seeing the beginning of the end of our once vibrant Republic that was founded on the principle that God endows us with inalienable rights, including the right to life?  Ronald Reagan often warned that our freedom was tenuous, and we could lose it in a single generation.  Is ours the generation that will forfeit the heritage of our founding fathers by casting off our moral underpinnings and succumbing to the soft tyranny of a bloated, immoral government?

These are serious questions each of us must consider.  But we must also have faith.  Just as much of Eastern Europe has cast off Godless Communism, it is entirely possible that God will raise up righteous leaders who will restore our people and our nation’s moral compass.   We must have faith that this CAN be realized, even as we hope for that which is thus far unseen.  Keep the faith!