RIGHT Faith and DEEP Love

5TH SUNDAY OF EASTER

[ John 14: 1-12 ]

   Fear, doubt and faith.

Normally, we have often considered that every element has an opposite. Yes, all of us have learned that from school:

• The opposite of ‘heat’ is ‘cold’.
• The opposite of ‘light’ is ‘darkness’.
• The opposite of ‘life’ is ‘death’.
• And the opposite of ‘good’ is ‘evil’.

It does seem and sound to be true that every element seems to have an opposing, competing or contradicting ‘rival’.

However, reflecting further, ‘heat’ and ‘cold’, ‘light’ and ‘darkness’, ‘life’ and ‘death’, and even ‘good’ and evil’ are not actually opposing, competing, contradicting or cancelling each other. In fact,

• ‘Cold’ is the absence (or lack) of ‘heat’.
• ‘Darkness’ is the absence (or lack) of ‘light’.
• ‘Death is the absence (or lack) of ‘life’.
• And ‘evil’ is the absence (or lack) of ‘good’.

‘Fear’, ‘doubt’, and ‘faith’: they are three distinct words which could either seem unrelated or contradictory. Perhaps it would be more helpful to consider this: the absence (or lack) of faith breeds doubt; and doubt breeds fear. When we do not have the RIGHT faith, we tend to doubt. When we doubt, we become fearful.

‘Fear’ is a natural human emotion arising from the core of our being towards the unknown and the uncertain. Throughout our life, we are constantly anxious and worried for our family, our relationships, our nation, our world, our health, our career, our investments, our properties, our future, our retirement, our death, and even our life after death…

   The antidote for ‘fear’.

Overcoming fear: starve your doubt, feed your faith.

The antidote for ‘fear’ is ‘faith’ – not just BLIND faith or any other faith – but the RIGHT ‘faith’ in God and in our Lord Jesus Christ.

   1) RIGHT faith:

Faith is a grace (an unmerited gift) from God which REQUIRES a human response (cf. CCC 153-155).

Faith means ‘I KNOW Whom I have BELIEVED’ (cf. 150-152). Faith is NOT a mere profession by lips, but a RESPONSE from the mind and the heart: I KNOW in my mind, and I BELIEVE in my heart.

If we have the RIGHT faith, we would be able to rise above the storm of fears and doubts. If we have the RIGHT faith, we would have ‘the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, and courage to change the things we can’ [cf. Prayer for Serenity].

   2) … in God and in our Lord Jesus Christ …: 

Jesus has told us [Mt 7: 24-25], “Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock.”

Yes, the foundation of our entire Christian faith must be built on God ALONE! He ALONE is our ROCK and our salvation. Christian faith differs from our faith in any human person. It is right and just to entrust oneself wholly to God and to believe absolutely what He says. [cf. CCC 150]

Everything is passing away; only God is certain, constant and consistent. It would be futile, false, short-sighted and silly to place such faith (which is due to God) in our own selves and others, gold and glory, money and wealth, fame and fortune, power and might, governments and states, health and fitness, leisure and entertainments, technologies and artificial intelligence, eating and drinking, or even concepts and ideas…

“Trust in God still, and trust in Me,”  are not two separate acts but one single act of faith, full adherence to the salvation wrought by God the Father through His Only-begotten Son. The Father is in the Son; and the Son is in the Father. We have seen the Father, He is visible in Jesus. (cf. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI | The CTS New Daily Missal)

If we believe in God the Father, we should also believe in His Only-begotten Son whom He has sent. Likewise, if we believe in Jesus Christ, we should also believe in the Father whom Jesus reveals.

   ‘Perfect love casts out fear.’ [1 Jn 4: 18]

‘Jesus has shown us the face of God, which is LOVE.’ (Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI)

Overcoming fear: dare to love God.

If we have the RIGHT faith in God and in our Lord Jesus Christ, we would KNOW Him in our minds and BELIEVE Him in our hearts. If we truly KNOW Him and BELIEVE HIM, we would love Him and experience His abiding love.

The truth of love is this [1 Jn 4: 18]: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.”

Fr Karl Rahner, a Jesuit priest and theologian, boldly says this, “The Christian of the future will be a mystic or he will not exist at all.” In other words, in order to be true Christians (faithful disciples of Christ), we must have a personal, deep and loving relationship with God, without whom, we are nothing at all!

Right faith generates deep love; deep love sustains right faith. Right faith and deep love dispel all fears. This Easter Season, let us strive to grow in RIGHT faith and DEEP love for God!

Right faith and deep love for God even in trials, temptations, tribulations and turbulences.

Let our fervent prayer be:

   Lord Jesus Christ,

   I believe You are the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE [cf. Jn 14: 6].

   Help me grow in RIGHT faith and DEEP love for You.”

Let us also pray that God’s justice, peace, truth and love may prevail in Ukraine, Sri Lanka and Nicaragua.