Year of Faith: Learning from challenges
Monday, March 4, 2013
*Ion Chamorro
Regrettably, this student expressed a belief that has become more and more pronounced in our day. Given that this is the Year of Faith, it seems an opportune time to ask ourselves: �What does my faith teach?� and �Why?�
In his New Testament letter, St. Peter urges us to �always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you.� (1 Pt 3:15) In a world that more and more seeks to take God �out of the picture,� it is not enough for Christians just to go to church on Sunday; rather we must get to know the faith in and out, in order to explain and defend it when called upon. This is, in fact, what the Year of Faith is all about: deepening one�s own faith first and foremost, and then sharing it with others. Faith cannot be something that matters only on Sunday. It must be something that I carry with me every second of every day of my life. It must be present in every decision I make and every act I perform.
Looking back at that encounter with my classmate, though, I wonder whether any good can result from listening to criticisms of our faith. Can we benefit in any way from the disagreements we have with others over the faith we profess?
I think we must first recognize that more often than not, such critiques are the result of a misunderstanding about what the Church actually teaches. For instance, Christians belonging to other churches sometimes accuse Catholics of worshipping the saints. Catholics, of course, know this is not true. Second, we must acknowledge that for some Catholics these critiques can be stumbling blocks to their own faith, depending on the maturity of that faith. If we are trying to live the life to which Christ has called us with minimal faith formation, we may in fact be led astray when our faith is challenged. This holds true for both the person with faith, though little formed, and the person who does not adhere to any religious belief. In such instances, the critique of others can be a stumbling block, or a confirmation against, faith.
These same critiques, however, may actually be good for our faith. Catholic thought throughout history has been marked by a prudent openness to different points of view and beliefs. The great thinkers of our faith, such as St. Augustine, St. Anselm, and St. Thomas Aquinas, looked for the truth in what others said. St. Thomas, for example, sought recourse in Greek philosophy in expounding some of the tenets of our faith. He did not reject outright the thought of non-Christians but sought to learn from them. He recognized that God reveals himself to man in all aspects of life, and therefore much is to be learned from others, even if they do not necessarily see life the way one does. Acknowledging the valid points that non-Catholic thinkers make does not mean that we agree with their judgments, but it does mean that we acknowledge there may be some degree of truth in what they say, and they therefore should be heard. It is important for Christians to remember that there is something to be learned from everyone.
It is also important to note that many times what people criticize in the Church is not our theology or doctrine, but the life of its members. How many times does a non-Christian see a Christian acting selfishly or being inconsiderate to others? More often than any of us would like to admit, I think. Whether it be in the grocery store, waiting in line to buy something or on the street in the middle of rush-hour traffic, the way we live says more about our faith than our words ever can. Do we believe in an all powerful and merciful God? Do we believe that God created each person in his �image and likeness?� Do we believe that just as Christ died on the cross for each of us, we should sacrifice some of our comfort for the good of others?
As our pope emeritus, Benedict XVI put it in his letter calling for a Year of Faith, this period should be a �summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord.� It is a calling to live our faith more authentically, in its totality. Let us all take advantage of this Year of Faith � and this season of Lent � and make an effort to learn more about what our Church teaches and why.
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