REDISCOVERNG THE FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH  – PART 2 Advent, the beginning of a new Liturgical cycle, a new “Year of Grace,” gives us the opportunity of re-examining our own faith-life as we re-examine the teachings and eternal truths of our Faith (see Hebrews 13:8; St. Matthew 24:35). Here is the second part of that re-examination: the free act of will of a personal faith made by the informed intellect to accept what God has revealed. It needs first of all to be remembered that faith itself is a gift of God; it is actualized, made effective by its informed and free exercise on the part of one who, thus informed and after careful examination, decides to accept and to submit mind and will to God-Who-reveals. In other words, the mind opens itself to the gift of faith through a free ascent of the will, and God gives it the ability through faith to accept what it cannot fully understand by the light of natural reason alone. The key thoughts to focus on here are: the mind is informed on, and carefully examines what the object of faith is; the intellect freely accepts what is reasonably proposed to it; and, God gives to the mind and will the capability of accepting it through the supernatural gift of faith.
The conclusion is that faith gives us the capability of accepting something that cannot be fully understood while there may still be some challenges to overcome and effort put forth in order fully to embrace and then act upon what is believed with conviction and without hesitation. In other words, in the measure that it is exercised faith will grow in order to become a deeper and more secure and reliable quality upon which to rely and call upon in need. The ultimate foundation for belief is knowing that God, who is eternal and unchanging Truth itself “can neither deceive nor be deceived,” as the prayer, the Act of Faith, teaches us. We may not always or immediately understand what is proposed for our acceptance of faith, but we do so nonetheless, moved not by any other understanding than that God has proposed it to us, and therefore it is to the advantage of our souls to believe it. (To be concluded next week.)
(For further reading, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, nn. 89, 142-144, 150, 151-155, 160)