Do you doubt? Does that mean that you do not have Faith? What is the origin of Faith? Do I have faith?
Not sure I can answer any of these questions completely but today’s reading seems to bring to mind the answer to most of these questions.
Before we start, I would like to remind you of Romans 4:13 “It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.”
Think of the faith you have when you receive the Holy Eucharist in the miracle of Transubstantiation when at Mass the celebrant transform the elements of bread and wine into which becomes the Body and Blood of Christ.
In our reading from Hebrews 11: 1 “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” The rest of this reading from Hebrews talks about the transfer of faith from Abel through Enoch to Noah who “warned about what was not yet seen,with reverence built an ark for the salvation of his household. Through this , he condemned the world and inherited the rightness that comes through faith.” Steven Marsh on Wednesday of this week gave a great reflection on Noah and his children and the faith they had even in not knowing when the flood would end or what would happen to them after it was over. The time waiting for the water to withdraw was a time of unknown and all the children of Noah wondered what would happen next. Faith here is transferred from generation to generation in Noah’s time and in our. The things a mother or a father teaches a son or daughter is the process how faith is transmitted from generation to generation. The things we do as parents or even friends and relatives is how faith is transmitted.
Why is it important? Hebrews 11:6 ” But without faith it is impossible to please him ( God), for anyone who approaches God must believe He exists.” Do any of us doubt? I would have to say much like any human being we all can doubt at times. However, in the back of all of our hearts there is the hope that what we believe is true that there is a God and we see it live out in those who have gone before us. God does exist and the realization and promise that God made to every and all generations is passed on from father to son from Abraham to Jesus and we have that geneology as proclaimed in Matthew 1:1-17 which gives us the connection. Not all of the line was perfect, but we are of course human.
In my own life I can thank my parents who planted the seeds of faith by sending us to good parochial schools and displaying what they learned in Church on Sunday into their daily lives. However, all of us are influenced by friends and relatives as well. While I had loving parents, even they were influenced by other family members and friends. My Uncle (Wujek) Elmer and Aunt(Ciocia) Sophia were perfect examples. My uncle and aunt had four beautiful daughters who were my cousins and they all were successful in life and had faith in the promises of Abraham. What influenced me the most about my uncle and aunt was their faith. They were poor but hard-working and lived their faith in their Church and in their children’s lives and in the world around them. My dad and uncle were as close as brothers and my aunt and mom were sisters and only two years apart. They all had a huge part of my faith formation.
Jesus had Joseph and Mary who said let it be done to me according to thy word. Jesus was God but He had earthly parents and a cousin ( John the Baptist ) who lived and trusted and did not doubt and by living their faith passed it on to the next generation. They don’t have to be blood relatives but the gift of faith is seeing it work in your life and you in turn pass it on to other people not just your sons and daughters.
My wife is very involved in Ancestry.com and has done extensive work on my family tree before the Revolutionary War, as well as, her own family tree going back Ireland. It just another example on how faith in the story of their lives is transferred by family and friends. In her tree and my tree the stories of faith and hope are all along the family line.
What you do and how you live your life matters. You influence is transferred to others. The bad you do also transfers and, just like Jesus, the faith of others can overcome the bad influence of some other person, but just like Noah you can make a difference in the life of the world. Others may not listen, but you have “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” You are the hope of future generations and their faith and hope depends on you.
God Bless
Bob Burford
Prayer: Lord, I pray that the actions of faith in my life will transfer to everyone I influence. Please, Lord, let me remember that You are in charge and not me.Thank God!
