Pope Francis' encyclical: Is faith "for real"?

I am still on retreat, but before silencing myself and my electronics, I prepared a series of posts featuring a passage or two from Pope Francis' first encyclical, "Lumen fidei" (Light of Faith). In section #24, he speaks of the tendency in our society to dismiss faith as an option for the weak-minded or perhaps for the fragile. If it helps you feel better to believe, well, at least it does you some good, even though it has no real, essential connection to life.

Isn't this an accurate description of how "the world" thinks of faith--and Pope Francis makes it clear, that without truth, the world would be right: faith should be dismissed, or relegated to the field of psycho-somatic medicine. If faith were divorced from real, solid truth, this is all it would be:

"Faith without truth does not save, it does not provide a sure footing. It remains a beautiful story, the projection of our deep yearning for happiness, something capable of satisfying us to the extent that we are willing to deceive ourselves."

Now, since this is how many of our neighbors, co-workers, even family members see faith, what might be the first step or two we could take to prepare the way for a New Evangelization?

Tidbits from "the Light of Faith"

Retreat silence continues, but I have prepared a week's worth of posts from the new encyclical while my technology and I rest in the Lord. (Full disclosure: my Kindle is not participating in this retreat, as it contains the text of Theology of the Body on which the retreat talks are based.)

Today's thought (from #27)  helps lift faith out of the realm of dry, sterile teachings where we can sometimes relegate it, and shows that faith has an intimate connection to love:

"Love and truth are inseparable. Without love, truth becomes cold, impersonal and oppressive for people's everyday lives.... One who loves realizes that love is an experience of truth, that it opens our eyes to see reality in a new way, in union with the beloved."

I recall that this experience of love revealing a greater truth was fundamental to Jennifer Fulwiler's conversion from atheism. What might this (and another passage I may use as tomorrow's tidbit) suggest to you about the most fruitful avenue for the New Evangelization ?

Faith according to Francis: Lumen fidei

I'm on retreat all week, but before entering into the Great Silence, I pulled out a few highlighted passages from Pope Francis' first encyclical, "Lumen fidei" (Light of Faith). Today's passage (from #29) focuses on the "who" of faith. The "what" we believe is secondary. Faith is primarily a matter of relationship. Yes, faith is a sort of "knowing," but what does that mean? Pope Francis comments on Paul's "faith comes from hearing":

"Knowledge linked to a word is always personal knowledge; it recognizes the voice of the one speaking, opens up to that person in freedom and follows him or her in obedience."

Faith comes from hearing, yes; that means that faith has its origin in a relationship. Isn't that a redemptive notion of faith?

Evangelization in "The Light of Faith"

Since I am on retreat this week, I have prepared a thought a day from Pope Francis' first encyclical, "Lumen fidei" (the "light of faith"). This passage (from #32) struck me as a wonderful description, even a definition, of evangelization:

"Christian faith, inasmuch as it proclaims the truth of God's total love and opens us to the power of that love, penetrates to the core of our human experience.... illumining all reality with the love of God made manifest in Jesus, and seeking to love others with that same love..."

Do you ever think of evangelization in terms like these?

TOB Tuesday and "The Light of Faith"

Mom with granddaughter #3, earlier this year.
I like the way that this photo lets you see the
"ray of light" from this relationship of love.

While I am on retreat, I have prepared a daily tidbit for you from Pope Francis' first encyclical, Lumen fidei ("Light of Faith"). Today's passage could have been taken right from Pope John Paul's Theology of the Body:

"The fact that our human loves contain that ray of light also helps us to see how all love is meant to share in the complete self-gift of the Son of God for our sake. In this circular movement, the light of faith illumines all our human relationships, which can then be lived in union with the gentle love of Christ" (N. 32).

Earlier, Pope Francis had written about faith as a communion with Christ that allows us to see with his vision. Here, that seeing with his vision leads to loving with his love.