Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
In contemporary usage, the term faith is often used to describe a state of mind. For example, critics of religion often point to “faith” as belief without evidence. However, from the Christian view, this assessment is not quite accurate. Not to mix up the scriptural basis for this reflection, the classic scriptural understanding of faith derives from Hebrews 11:1,
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.
Faith, so understood, is not simply a matter of what one believes in their mind. Instead, it is the “realization” of hope and the “evidence” of things not seen. The point here is not to quibble with the inaccuracies of critics, but to suggest that the realization- the making real of hope- is the evidence of faith. Both of today’s readings suggest this realization, this evidence, of faith.
The first reading, from the First Book of Kings, describes faithful obedience to God. The great prophet Elijah asks a poor widow for some water and bread. The widow protests that she is literally scraping the bottom of the barrel. Once the last bit of flour is used to feed herself and her child, they will die. She cannot feed herself, much less another. Elijah reassures her and tells her to feed herself and her son, asking her to make him only a small cake of bread. She complies. Consequently, rather than exhausting her supply, the flour and oil replenishes for a year. For the widow, faith is realized in her actions. While it ends miraculously, the first evidence of faith was a humble cake of bread.
The second reading, from the gospel of Matthew, describes the necessity to act in faith. Jesus tells his disciples that they are the light of the world. However, a hidden light is rather useless. It must shine for others to see, so that others may see. The evidence of this light is the good deeds inspired by faith. The deeds are hope’s realization, the evidence of faith. Like the widow, faith is realized in actions, not simply a state of mind.
Faith is not something to be sequestered in our hearts and minds. Faith is not belief without evidence. Faith is the realization of our hope. It is the humblest charity and disciple’s light shining through our good deeds.
Today let us ponder in our hearts the cakes of bread we realize in faith.
- Adam Sheridan