What is faith?
Faith is the act by which a human being freely commits himself to God. In the case of Abraham, he left the land of his ancestors to head towards the land that God would show him. This act may have been seen as insane by others - why leave the known for the unknown, the certain for the uncertain? However, Abraham went not knowing where he was going. And again, he went up the mountain with his only son Isaac, who is spared from sacrifice at the last moment. In this faith, Abraham becomes the father of a long line of descendants. Faith made him fruitful.
Moses also demonstrates faith as he welcomes God's voice and stands firm and trusts in the Lord, defending the people who often lack faith.
The Virgin Mary exemplifies faith as well, when she receives the annunciation of the Angel. Despite the demanding and risky nature of the message, she responds, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."
Faith is the virtue that defines Christians. Being a Christian is not primarily about accepting a culture with its accompanying values. Being a Christian means welcoming and cherishing a bond with God, seeing oneself in the loving face of Jesus. This bond is what makes us Christians.
Jesus' disciples were crossing the lake when suddenly a storm arose. They relied on their own strength and experience to navigate the situation but the boat began to sink, and panic set in. Unbeknownst to them, the solution was right before their eyes: Jesus was with them on the boat, even in the midst of the storm. The Gospel states that Jesus was asleep. When they finally wake Him, fearfully and even angrily questioning why He would let them die, Jesus rebukes them, saying, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?".
Therefore, fear is the great enemy of faith, not intelligence or reason. Faith is the first gift to embrace in the Christian life - a gift that should be welcomed and asked for daily, so that it may be renewed within us. It may seem like a small gift, but it is essential. When we were brought to the baptismal font, our parents, after announcing the name they had chosen for us, were asked by the priest, "What do you ask of the Church of God?". And the parents answered, "Faith, baptism!".
Those who have faith are filled with a force that is not merely human. Faith ignites grace within us, and opens our minds to the mystery of God. As Jesus once said, "If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, 'Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea', and it would obey you". Therefore, let us also, like the disciples, repeat to Him: Lord, increase our faith! It is a beautiful prayer!
Pope Francis, 1st May 2024
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