Need to Understand our Faith

 Reflection on Today’s Readings, Wednesday of 4th Week of Lent, March 30th, 2022
Texts: Isaiah 49:8-15; Psalm 145:8-9.13-14.17-18; John 5:17-30
Here, the understanding of faith is knowing the depth and breadth of the knowledge offered by faith. We may have faith but if we do not understand it we can still be lost. The Church says, “It is intrinsic to faith that a believer desires to know better the One in whom he has put his faith, and to understand better what He has revealed; a more penetrating knowledge will in turn call forth a greater faith, increasingly set afire by love” (CCC No. 158). The Jews, in today’s gospel reading, had faith but did not understand the faith. Just like them, many a time we see Faith as the knowledge of God. Faith is not the knowledge of God but a certain knowledge of God which helps us to make a leap into the unknown.  
In faith  we do not know God as we know the back of our palms. The knowledge we have is the solid foundation upon which we stand to trust Him for the uncertain.  St. Paul affirms this thus: “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we shall see face to face. I  know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1Cor. 13:12). St. Peter puts it thus: “So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts” (2Pet. 1:19). Just like lamp in the night lights up a small area in a vast span of darkness so also is the knowledge given through faith about God. The Church also says, “Even though enlightened by him in whom it believes, faith is often lived in darkness and can be put to the test (CCC No. 164).
If we do not understand the limit of the knowledge offered by faith, we will become narrow minded, thinking that what we know is what God all is. God is more than what our faith could offer us. What we know about God is little compare to what is unknown about Him. The earlier we know this the better we open up our minds for new ground, new revelation, new perspective and become tolerant and accommodating. The message, today, is this: understand your faith and be open minded. The Jews who persecuted Jesus Christ did not understand the limit of their faith, they thought what they knew about God was all He could be. They bottled God in their knowledge. That thought itself is a blasphemy against God. How can God be reduced to what one knows. We must be eternal like God to know all that He is. The Jews could not understand the truth Jesus Christ was telling them because they were already narrow minded; they could not accept a man who is God.  
We are also reminded, today, that Jesus Christ is God and He is in one accord with God the Father. Just as the Father gives life so also Jesus Christ gives life; He has life in Himself just as Father has life in Himself. This means we can also find life by following Jesus Christ. Telling us that He is the judge assures us that being at peace with Him we need no fear of judgment. Just like Him, we are to be in one accord with the Father. The way to be in one accord with God the Father is to follow Jesus Christ, to be like Him. In Jesus Christ we are sure that we are one with the Father. Jesus Christ lived His earthly life to be like the Father; working as Father is working, doing what he saw the Father doing. Just like Him, we are to be like the Father, doing what He does, working because he is working.  
Today, in the first reading, God reminds us that He has been the God who has been showing us favour in time of favour and saving us in time of salvation. Having favoured us and saved us, He gives us as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritage; saying to the prisoners, come forth, to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’ God’s purpose is to bring His people into communion with Himself. The aforementioned assignments are true about Jesus Christ; they are the works he makes reference to when He says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise.” Those are the works we should do too: bringing people into communion with God, bringing God’s blessings to people, establishing the kingdom of God, saving souls from prison and darkness.     

O God, who reward the merits of the just and offer pardon to sinners who do penance, have mercy, we pray, on those who call upon you, that the admission of our guilt may serve to obtain your pardon for our sins. Amen. (Collect)
         

 Fr. Andrew Olowomuke