< <  

Saturday, January 28, 2023

  > >

St. Thomas Aquinas


Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19
Luke 1:69-75
Mark 4:35-41

View Readings
Similar Reflections

what is faith?

“Faith is confident assurance concerning what we hope for, and conviction about things we do not see.” —Hebrews 11:1

We are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8). “All depends on faith, everything is grace” (Rm 4:16). Therefore, faith in the Lord is absolutely necessary. However, this presents a problem because we are lacking in faith (see Mk 4:40). Jesus asks: “When the Son of Man comes, will He find any faith on the earth?” (Lk 18:8) We must cry out to the Lord: “I do believe! Help my unbelief!” (Mk 9:24, RNAB)  “Faith is confident assurance” (Heb 11:1). It is a solid, substantial assurance of security, stability, affirmation, and unconditional love. We can rest assured, for the Lord is our Rock (see Ps 18:3) and our Abba (see Mt 6:9; Gal 4:6). We are securely held in His loving arms.

Faith is the result of a very good relationship. To have such substantial, confident assurance of God’s love, we must truly and deeply know the Lord. Jesus taught and prayed: “Eternal life is this: to know You, the only true God, and Him Whom You have sent, Jesus Christ” (Jn 17:3). St. Paul prayed: “I wish to know Christ” (Phil 3:10). We too should pray to know God so as to have faith in Him.

Prayer:  Father, may my love for You result in faith in You. May this faith cause me to experience the “breadth and length and height and depth of Christ’s love” (Eph 3:18). May this deeper love result in deeper faith.

Promise:  “All of these died in faith.” —Heb 11:13

Praise:  St. Thomas Aquinas wrote: “Faith is said to be beyond reason, not because faith does not involve an act of reason, but rather because the reason involved in faith cannot lead one to see the things which pertain to faith.”

Reference:  (For a related teaching on Hold Fast to the Faith, listen to, download or order our CD 71-1 or DVD 71 on our website.)

Rescript:  In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from December 1, 2022, through January 31, 2023. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio April 12, 2022

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.