Faith itself is a divine gift which like seed is planted, but sprouts and grows in a manner that the owner does not fully account(Mk 4:27). As supernatural virtue, faith is not built up in the manner we build up our houses or bodies. It nonetheless imposes certain tasks as condition for growth. It calls for interior repentance as basis for the good soil necessary for the word of God to grow and bear fruit in discipleship. Such faith needs a community of faith to be nourished through personal and public prayer, meditation of the Word, reception of the Sacraments, and the practice of virtues. It grows more when it is shared with others and is itself never alone, but perseveres in hope and charity, i.e., cheerful and generous renunciation for the sake of Christ. The faith diminishes by habitual sin, anxiety and care of this world, laziness, ignorance, negligence, doubt, cynicism, etc. We should in our poverty always pray for greater faith.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Oct 2013 10:01:03 +0000
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