Today is Feb. 1, Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time.
We read at today’s Mass, “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Because of it the ancients were well attested” (Heb 11:1-2).
Faith, at its core, is creative. To be a person of faith is to embark upon the bold and courageous work of shaping life around things unseen. By faith, we trust that God, the Divine Architect, is laying the foundation in our hearts to build something — to make of our lives something beautiful, something beyond our comprehension.
But here’s the thing: Faith is not merely believing in abstract concepts; it is a living, breathing response to God’s invitation to co-create with him. St. Cyril of Jerusalem distinguishes between two senses of faith. According to him, faith is dogmatic assent to particular points of doctrine. But in another sense, faith is a grace that works beyond man’s power. Faith moves mountains and “ranges round the bounds of the universe.”
The example of Abraham’s faith
Abraham’s life illustrates this beautifully. He journeyed into foreign lands, pitched his tents, and embraced the tension of dwelling in the present while yearning for the eternal homeland God had promised. In faith, he saw beyond his own expectations and embraced God’s Word, which brought life where none seemed possible. Faith is, at its core, creative.
Faith calls to us too, bidding us to build with hope — to see beyond our fears and sorrows, to trust in the unseen, and to share in God’s creative work. In faith, we can cultivate a future where God’s love reigns supreme, trusting that he is the master builder who prepares an eternal city for us.
Let us pray,
Almighty ever-living God, direct our actions according to your good pleasure, that in the name of your beloved Son we may abound in good works. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.