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'I believe, we believe'
It is surprising to observe how the meaning of these simple words, “I believe,” can vary so much.
In daily conversation, we so often use the expression “I believe” to refer to something which we are not sure about. Will it rain today? “I believe so.” In other words, “I believe” is like saying “I’m not sure,” or in the best case, “it is possible.”
In the Catholic faith, however, these two words provide the foundation for everything else. The proclamation of the Creed begins with them; the essence of our being Catholics is in them: that is, the gift of faith.
“Faith” is another word which has lost its value in our daily language. There is a lot of talk about “having faith in people,” and especially about “having faith in oneself.” But what we really mean is trusting in people or in oneself. Trust is an important virtue when it is regulated by prudence. But it is not the same as faith.
Faith, for us Catholics, is a theological virtue, that is, a virtue that man cannot acquire by himself; rather, it is given by God. But human beings are free, and can either accept or reject faith, increase or lessen it.
One of the most revealing passages of the Gospel that refers to this reality can be found in St. Mark, when a father brings a demon-possessed son to Jesus, because the apostles had not been able to heal him.
The father tells Jesus: “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” Jesus said to him, “‘If you can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, but help my unbelief.” (Mk 9:22-24) The cry of the father reveals what all of Catholics should say: “I do believe, but help my unbelief.”
We certainly have faith, but must always enrich and strengthen it. The urgent need to strongly practice our faith daily, in moments of trial and need, demand from us an ongoing effort to be men and women of faith.
The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has just published in English and Spanish, begins with the words that contain the real beginning of our being Catholics: “I believe — we believe.”
“I believe” because our faith is a personal and free act. “We believe” because our faith is not individualistic, but a reality lived, nurtured and strengthened in community.
In fact, as The Compendium of the Catechism explains in its first paragraph: “God the Father sent his Son as the Redeemer and Savior of mankind, fallen into sin, thus calling all into his church and, through the work of the Holy Spirit, making them adopted children and heirs of his eternal happiness.”
God has called each one of us to salvation by name. But in order to fulfill this design of salvation, he has called us to his church, that is, to the community of the faithful.
As the passage from St. Mark shows us, asking Jesus to “help my unbelief” has practical consequences: our faith has to be fed and nurtured through prayer and study.
As I said before, with the new Compendium of the Catechism, Catholics have a great tool to nurture and strengthen our faith.
During these days of Easter, in which the faith of many is shaken or affected by new “codes” and “gospels” which distort the truth about Jesus Christ, let us ask our Mother Mary, the woman with an unbreakable faith, to help us overcome our lack of faith and become strong men and women of faith.
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