This post is the third in a series of posts called “Living Life in the Light of Faith” a chapter-by-chapter exploration of Pope Francis’ first encyclical letter “Lumen Fidei“—the Light of Faith. Even this series only scratches the surface of it, so I suggest you read the entire letter.
Faith is Meant to Be Shared
Unlike in the material world where we grasp onto our possessions and keep them to ourselves—locked up in the impenetrable confines of our selfishness—faith is a gift that we in turn must share with others. Faith is shared because if it is kept selfishly within than it will decay, for it is meant to be a gift that is lived in common and shared with all in relationship with God and with His children.
“Those who have opened their hearts to God’s love, heard his voice and received his light, cannot keep this gift to themselves. Since faith is hearing and seeing, it is also handed on as word and light.”
~ Lumen Fidei, 37
Light cannot be hidden. Its essence is to illumine, to shine. Should it fail to do either of these things, it ceases to fulfill its purpose, it is not truly light. Yes, we can place obstructions between our vision and the light, but the light continues to shine. This is exactly what many have done. They have seen the light of faith before, but feel they have grown out of it and have taken it out of its primary position and placed it on the back burner, behind all the seemingly more important “things” in life. It continues to shine, but there is so much between us and the light that we don’t notice its brilliance any more. This is why faith must be shared. We must reach behind all the “stuff” and pull the light back into the central place it deserves in our lives. When we do this the light shines not only on us, but in us and through us bringing its light into the lives of those around us.
“Faith is passed on, we might say, by contact, from one person to another, just as one candle is lighted from another. Christians, in their poverty, plant a seed so rich that it becomes a great tree, capable of filling the world with its fruit.”
~ Lumen Fidei, 37
My light becomes your light and your light becomes our light. Together our faith shines for the world to see. Others will see the light in us and be called to faith. This is what I call experiential evangelization. Words are used to express this faith, but even more importantly our lived example, our witness, our light can shine. And those whose lives have become darkness want to share in the same light and through you they just might. You are the catalyst in the conversion of their hardened hearts. Although the work and power are God’s, He can work through you should you let Him.
How Faith is Passed On
This idea of evangelization is best achieved through our personal witness. Our goal as Christians to evangelize the world begins within each and every one of us. For if others cannot see Jesus in me, then I’m failing to be a witness.
“It is through an unbroken chain of witnesses that we come to see the face of Jesus.”
~ Lumen Fidei, 38
Although Jesus ascended into Heaven after the resurrection, He remains alive and active in the world. His power is even greater than it was when He manifested the glory of God in Galilee. Today He comes into the world through you. Yes we have the Bible, but Jesus didn’t leave us a book He left us a Church. And it is through this Church, this Body, this community, these people, that Christ is present to the world and that the glory of God is manifested.
“For transmitting a purely doctrinal content, an idea might suffice, or perhaps a book, or the repetition of a spoken message. But what is communicated in the Church, what is handed down in her living Tradition, is the new light born of an encounter with the true God, a light which touches us at the core of our being and engages our minds, wills and emotions, opening us to relationships lived in communion.”
~ Lumen Fidei, 40
It’s easy to forget that we are the Church. Vatican II reaffirmed this truth. The Church is not just the hierarchy. The Church is not just the physical buildings. The Church is the people, the community of faith, on their journey together in Christ. And as such our responsibility is even more clear to be ministers in the world, not just bystanders. It’s not that we are to force people into faith, but we are to invite them.
Faith is Not Relative
One the biggest problems for faith in present times is the reality and acceptance of relativism—the sense that truth is what I personally think or feel it to be. This is to say that my truth is different from your truth, that truth is relative to each persons feelings or opinions. Interestingly enough, this statement itself proves that truth is not relative, because it is an objective statement being imposed on all, even those who don’t believe it.
“These days we imagine a group of people being united in a common cause, in mutual affection, in sharing the same destiny and a single purpose. But we find it hard to conceive of a unity in one truth. We tend to think that a unity of this sort is incompatible with freedom of thought and personal autonomy. Yet the experience of love shows us that a common vision is possible, for through love we learn how to see reality through the eyes of others, not as something which impoverishes but instead enriches our vision.”
~ Lumen Fidei, 47
Truth is truth. And if my truth and your truth contradict, then neither of us understand truth because this is mere subjective opinion. The idea of relativism is a selfish, self-centered idea which has obviously become widely accepted in our post-modern American culture that places so much value on the self. And it’s no wonder that relativism of course finds faith, especially the Christian faith with its commandments, to be especially oppressive.
“The Decalogue is not a set of negative commands, but concrete directions for emerging from the desert of the selfish and self-enclosed ego in order to enter into dialogue with God, to be embraced by his mercy and then to bring that mercy to others.”
~ Lumen Fidei, 46
Of course as Christians we are able to see that the commandments are not only good for humanity, but healthy and necessary for society to function properly. Our relativistic culture is bringing people more into themselves, but a society can not succeed if its members are not willing to submit to a common truth and code of laws. This is exactly what the commandments are, the common, natural law written on our hearts.
So as relativism divides, faith unites. And as “we walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7) let the light of faith within you shine and give light to those around you. Let God work through you to change the world. This is what it means to be a Christian. This is what it means to evangelize.
This post is the third in a series of posts called “Living Life in the Light of Faith” a chapter-by-chapter exploration of Pope Francis’ first encyclical letter “Lumen Fidei“—the Light of Faith. Even this series only scratches the surface of it, so I suggest you read the entire letter.