Walking By Faith, Not By Sight

By Scott Ferrier, MJ • Phoenix, AZ

Addressing the Pontifical Council of Culture in 1997, Pope St. John Paul II observed that “faith in Christ who became incarnate in history not only transforms individuals inwardly, but also regenerates peoples and their cultures.”

The Pope went on to warn the faithful that the necessary synthesis between faith and culture is endangered by a secularism which no longer gives credence to transcendent values or objective morality — in fact, it shamelessly denies God and the existence of a supernatural order. “The rupture between the Gospel and culture” is, “without a doubt the drama of our time.” For many people, this rupture begins slowly with the ‘forgetfulness of God.’ All the world’s cultures are beset by a loss of the sense of the supernatural. 

The devil deceives and overcomes the world through the disordered attachment to “appearances” — “the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes, and pride of life.” But we walk in the light, says the beloved Apostle: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.” (1 Jn 5:4) It is by walking in the light of faith that God gives spiritual meaning to the events of ordinary life. Receiving the grace of faith at Baptism, we come to know in part what natural reason cannot attain — God and His revelation. His grace elevates and perfects our nature.

St. Augustine defined a sacrament as “a visible sign of invisible grace.” By faith, we have “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1) The Incarnate Word has “dwelt among us” — so everything in the world can be a visible sign. The sacramental principle of Catholicism enables us to “find God in all things”. But G.K. Chesterton once wrote that “when one takes away the supernatural, what remains is the unnatural.” The rejection of the supernatural life of grace helps to explain why evil is spreading throughout the world. 

God has created us in His image. “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity into man’s heart.” (Eccl. 3:11) Let us remember this gift of our faith which God has given us to assist us in leading others back to Him. Let us pray that we not forget Him who does not forget us.