Christ bestows the grace of faith upon the baptized
Faith gives meaning to human life. You certainly want, make your life truly happy. In faith you are looking for the meaning of your life.
How a person comes to faith ?
Man meets the Church, who believes in Christ - God himself shows man the way to faith
“It was then that he came to Jerusalem to worship Ethiopia, court official of the Ethiopian queen, […] and he came back reading the prophet Isaiah in his chariot. "Come and join that cart," said the Spirit to Philip. As Philip ran up, he heard, that the other was reading the prophet Isaiah: "Do you understand, what are you reading ?" - He asked. And the other replied : «How can I (understand), if no one explains to me ? »And he invited Philip, to get in and rest with him. […]
Philip coming out of it (text) Pisma, he told him the Good News about Jesus. During the journey they came to some water : "Here is the water," said the courtier, "what bothers me.", that I may be baptized ? »And he ordered the car to be stopped, and both, Philip and the courtier, they went down into the water. I baptized him " (Dz 8, 27-31. 35-38).
Ethiopian, which the Scriptures speak of, he was looking for the real God. This desire was already a gift from God, that is, the grace of God. However, the meeting with God did not take place until then, when Philip told him about Christ. Having come to know Christ and His teaching, The Ethiopian accepted her, that is, he believed and wanted to be baptized, it means to become a sharer in salvation. In the person of Philip, the Ethiopian met the Church, who believes in Jesus Christ and preaches His teaching. Thanks to this encounter, Christ gave him such faith, which the whole Church lives. Christ made the Ethiopian a participant in the faith of the People of God. The courtier of the Ethiopian queen was not content with this, that he already knows the Good News. He did not stop at knowing God's Revelation. He wanted to be baptized, and therefore to be united with Christ. This desire was inspired by God himself. Faith, which God gave him, not only instructed the Ethiopian about salvation, but it also induced him to dedicate himself to Christ, and therefore to be part of salvation. We read and listen to this event, to realize, that God also gives faith today : first he gives man the grace to seek true faith, then it enables an encounter with the Church that believes and proclaims the word of God. Finally, it allows him to participate in the faith of the Church. This is the way to the faith of all people. The Ethiopian was baptized. He already believed in God and in Christ, which is a condition for admitting an adult to baptism. At the time of baptism, God will include him in his life.
The supernatural virtue of faith
The Church teaches, that at the baptism of St.. God gives everyone the supernatural virtue of faith. It is gifted, which henceforth exist in us and thanks to which we can believe. This ability is supernatural, it means such, which we cannot obtain on our own, but we receive them from God in baptism. as a gift. Ta ,,the virtue of faith ”is a completely new human talent, thanks to which man already participates in God's life. He can see more clearly God's love and God's eternal plan to unite people with each other. The supernatural virtue of faith gives to every baptized person ,,sense of faith " (KK 12). Ten ,,sense of faith ”makes, that the entire People of God is getting to know God's Revelation more and more, he passes them on to others more and more vividly, and expresses them infallibly by the Magisterium.
Your way to faith
God called you to faith in your childhood. With your baptism you have been endowed by God with the supernatural virtue of faith. It was the beginning of your personal journey to faith. You were a little kid. Then you could not accept God's call with full responsibility. The Church took responsibility for your faith in the person of your parents. You have been baptized in the faith of the Church, that your parents confessed. They have spoken to you the word of God from the beginning. Then, when you started attending school, your parents sent you to catechesis, that you may know God's revelation better. You were still living in the parish community, you participated in the Eucharistic assembly - and this is how your faith matured. It should constantly increase, so that you can always answer God's call. This answer manifests itself in trust, obedience and love to God and goodness to people. In other words : a conscious and mature response, it is total dedication to God in Jesus Christ and in His Church.
How will I answer God ?
At baptism, God gave me the virtue of faith, that is, he made able to do so, to believe yes, as the whole Church believes. Today's reading about the encounter of the Ethiopian with the faith of the Church is also a call from God for me, to give him a conscious answer. What am I doing, to believe God more and more, that is, it is better to respond to God's call ? Am I working on it, to know God's call contained in Revelation ? Do I read Scripture. ? Do I pray for it ? You can do it with words :
“Let me know Your ways, Lord, and teach me your paths.
Guide me according to your truth and teach me,
because you are God, my savior, and in you I have hope always”
(Ps 24, 4-5).
■ Think :
1. Who did the Ethiopian meet in the person of Philip ?
2. What Happened in the Ethiopian, when Philip instructed him ?
3. Why the Ethiopian did not stop at lecturing, which he received from Philip ?
4. What is needed, that the adult may become one with God ?
5. What is the path of faith of a person baptized in infancy? ?
6. Why is the virtue of faith received at baptism by St.. we call supernatural ?
■ Remember:
10. How a person comes to faith ? First, man gets to know the Church, who believes. Then, with the help of God's grace, she accepts the faith of the Church and entrusts herself with trust to Christ.
11. What does it mean to believe?
Believe, that is, accepting God's Revelation and responding to it with confidence, love and obedience.
12. What is the supernatural virtue of faith ?
The supernatural virtue of faith is a gift received in baptism, which makes us able to accept God's revelation and to see everything in its light.
■ Task :
During today's evening prayer, I will awaken an act of faith. This is how I entrust myself to God.