Conviction
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain’s. Through this he received approval as righteous, God himself giving approval to his gifts; he died, but through his faith he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death; and ‘he was not found, because God had taken him.’ For it was attested before he was taken away that ‘he had pleased God.’ And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, warned by God about events as yet unseen, respected the warning and built an ark to save his household; by this he condemned the world and became an heir to the righteousness that is in accordance with faith.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, ‘as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.’
All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.
Reflection
One the eve of the last regular week of Lent, my attention and thoughts are increasingly drawn to Holy Week, and all it represents. We – or at least I – have needed these days of reflection and contemplation to get ready for what’s about to unfold: the entry into Jerusalem, the last supper, the crucifixion – and, finally, joyously, the Resurrection.
All of these events will be recounted and re-enacted through liturgy, prayer, and song. Yet as powerful as these can be, they are not the same as having been present 2,000 years ago. We need something to connect us, something to make words and rituals come alive. That something is our faith, the faith with which we have been blessed by God.
It is our faith, our “conviction of things not seen” that brings the Easter event alive for us. It is faith that enables us to experience the presence of the Risen Lord in our lives. And it is faith that gives us – me – the humility and confidence to acknowledge the need to spend a little more time preparing for the amazing act of grace and love that is unfolding around us.
Comments
Post a Comment