Faith – Great Lenten Retreat Week Five
Welcome to the fifth week of our Great Lent retreat, with faith as our virtue to grow in. This is another article in our Great Lent retreat series. So if you missed the earlier article on Humility and Justice, check it out here. Our second week’s article on Temperance and Living in the Moment here, and our third article on Fortitude may be read here. Finally, last week’s article: Diligence + Prudence.
Understanding the Virtues
This week we begin exploring the three theological virtues. As I begin this section, I am overwhelmed by how inadequate I am to this task. A whole theology course could cover a single of these virtues, and yet I need to cover each in a lowly blog article! But we aren’t here for an in depth study. We are here to look at the virtues and how we can grow in them during Lent. So let’s see about that.
Why Theological Virtues?
The theological virtues are different from all other virtues. The other virtues are distinctly human. They are our human attempts to possess the qualities of God. We practice them in order to grow in holiness, and we obtain them by our own work. (Although, of course, they are perfected in us by the Holy Spirit). But the theological virtues are not at all like these.
The theological virtues are divine gifts from God.
Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that He has said and revealed to us, and that the Holy Church proposes for our belief, because He is faith itself – CCC 1814
What is Faith?
Faith is the first of the theological virtues. This is because it is the foundation of hope and love. It is by faith at we offer ourselves to God. And it is by this virtue that we desire to know God and accomplish His will on earth. Faith enables us to follow the commandments of God. As written in scripture, “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead” (Jam 2:26). So our other acts of virtue support the life of the virtue of faith in our souls.
Faith allows us to see the truth. For “Faith grants us knowledge of God and of things unseen” (Christ our Pascua 836). This is mirrored in the book of Hebrews, where faith is defined: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (11:1).
Christ our Pascua, the Ukrainian Catholic Catechism, also offers us a definition of faith. “Faith is an openness of the entire person to the action of the Holy Spirit and a personal union with the risen Christ.” This description of faith points us in the same direction of Great Lent – Easter. The theological virtue of faith existed on earth prior to the resurrection. However, the gift of this and the other theological virtues are opened up to the whole world through Pascua, the Ascension, and Pentecost.
Faith and Lent
Christ did not possess the virtue of faith. There was no spiritual truth for him to believe in that He could not already see/know. He already beheld the beatific vision from all eternity. So let us instead consider Mary, our model for this virtue. Especially because she had the greatest gift of the virtue of faith. More than anyone else, ever!
In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 11, a woman cries out to Jesus “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” (27). But Jesus is not satisfied by this commendation of His mother. And so He corrects the woman’s words, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” A thoughtless reading of this might suggest Jesus didn’t want His mother praised. But actually what He has done is shown that she should be even more honoured. Not only does the Theotokos bear Christ and raise Him from a child, but she perfectly exemplifies the virtue of faith. She accepts all that God reveals to her, and keeps God’s words treasured in her heart.
Through scripture, we are also able to witness the life of Christ. So this week, spend some time reading the gospels. Then, keep the Word of God treasured in your heart this week. Remember moments of Christ’s life. Believe they happened. And glorify God in gratitude for Christ’s life on earth.
Practicing Faith
Christ our Pascua states that “Faith is, first of all, a divine gift received in Baptism” (836). So renewing your baptismal vows can be a way too affirm your choice to keep this virtue alive in your soul.
Baptismal Vows:
[Facing West – Satan’s realm of darkness, say three times:] I renounce Satan, and all his pomps and arrogance, all his works, all his angels, and all service to him”
[Facing East – Christ’s kingdom of light, say three times] I believe in Christ and promise to serve Him.
And then end of by reciting the Apostle’s Creed or Nicene Creed.
Acts of Faith
We can grow in faith by actively keeping the faith. We use the virtue of faith to honour the Lord’s day, attending Divine Liturgy. Also, we keep the faith by honouring God’s name, especially in prayer. Finally, we keep the faith by worshiping God alone, rather than false gods and idols.
Next, find ways to live out your faith every day. Even if you can only make it to Divine Liturgy on Sundays, this shouldn’t be the only time you live your faith during the week. Work on the other virtues out of reverence for Christ. Grow your prayer routine (see our article about building the spiritual foundation). Finally, keep reminders of your faith with you throughout the day. God made us humans sensory beings. This is why the sacraments, or holy mysteries, all have physical signs of their spiritual reality. And this is also why we have sacramentals – which are small signs that remind us of our commitment to God and the Church. Just as a wedding ring reminds us of our responsibility to our spouse, find something to wear or bring with you that remind you of your faith.
Profess your faith and bear witness to it. In the book of Matthew Jesus says “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (10:32-33).
Continue to study the faith. By continuing to learn more about what God asks us to believe, we help avoid committing a sin against the virtue of faith (which, incidentally, is how we lose the virtue of faith. We lose the gift of faith by sinning against it).
The Byzantine Life
If you enjoyed this week’s article, you might want to check out our Lenten Articles. Great Lent covers fasting and abstinence, saying Alleluia, Presanctified Liturgy, and ways to actively participate in Great Lent with your family. W also have an article about Holy Week: A Guide to What Happens During Holy Week.
Great Lent Virtues Retreat Schedule
(links will only work after publishing day, the Thursday prior to that week of Great Lent)
28 February – Week One – Humility and Justice – https://thebyzantinelife.com/great-lent-humility-justice/
7 March – Week Two – Living in the Moment and Temperance – https://thebyzantinelife.com/great-lent-temperance/
14 March – Week Three – Fortitude: Patience + Perseverance – https://thebyzantinelife.com/great-lent-fortitude/
21 March – Week Four – Diligence + Prudence – https://thebyzantinelife.com/great-lent-diligence-prudence/
4 April – Week Six – Hope – https://thebyzantinelife.com/great-lent-hope/
11 April – Week Seven – Love and Charity – https://thebyzantinelife.com/great-lent-love/
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