All things Are Possible
to those who believe
C K Joseph
"To do good there is no
need for faith in God. I do not go to church. I try to see God in man.
In the morning, while my contemporaries are in the church or in the temple,
I'm busy cleaning hospitals, toilets or gutters." The above words are quoted
from the Malayala Manorama of 30 September, 1995, under the title Vaachakamela.
They are the words of a renowned Christian social worker of Kerala. That
must be the deep conviction of the writer for, as Jesus said, "it is out
of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks" (Lk 6:45). Today we
come across several people who nourish such ideas.
The tendency to substitute
social action in the place of faith in God and prayer, is on the increase
these days. ..."Without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever
would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those
who seek him"(Heb 11:6). For the social service we do in this world, we
may get several awards or worldly benefits. However, all our actions become
worthy of being rewarded by God, only when they are motivated by faith
in him. Jesus says, "Beware of practising your piety before others in order
to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven...and
your Father who sees in secret will reward you"(Mt 6:1-4).
The perspective of this
world is quite different from that of God. "For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens
are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my
thoughts than your thoughts" (Is 55:8-9). In this world, we call blessed
those who have amassed material wealth, and achievedpower, fame and name.
But who is truly blessed in the sight of God? "...blessed is she (Mary)
who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her
by the Lord"(Lk 1:45). The only reason why Mary became blessed in the sight
of God is that Mary put her faith in the word of God. "Abraham believed
God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness... For the promise that
he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants
through the law but through the righteousness of faith...It will be reckoned
to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead"(Rom 4:3,13,24).
The word of God teaches us that we are justified in God's sight, through
our faith in Jesus Christ who is the Son of God. The letter to the Hebrews
says, "...my righteous one will live by faith. My soul takes no pleasure
in anyone who shrinks back"(10:38). In short, it means that justification
is through faith. It is not based on our actions. If faith is such an important
thing, let us give some thought to what faith really is.
Before entering deeply into
a study of what faith is, let us define the word "faith". I like to say
that faith is a special breath of life. What does that mean? It is breath
that sustains man's physical life. When breathing ceases, man returns to
dust. He will spend all his wealth only to extend this breath of life,
because life is precious.
For the same reason the
breath of life is also precious. "It is the spirit that gives life, the
flesh is useless" (Jn 6:63). The soul is much more valuable than the body
as it is created in the image and likeness of God. The breath that sustains
the life of the soul is faith. In other words, our eternal life exists
in our faith in God and in his Son, Jesus Christ. "And this is eternal
life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom
you have sent"(Jn 17:3). St Paul writes, "for by grace you have been saved
through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God"(Eph
2:8). Faith is God's sublime gift. "Ask and you shall be given," promised
Jesus. In obedience to this command, we should constantly pray for faith.
May the prayer of the apostles, "Increase our faith," be our model for
prayer.
The basis of our faith is
the revelation of God. It is chiefly through his word that God gives us
revelations. It is, therefore, through the reading, study and meditation
on the word of God that we attain firmness in faith. "Faith comes from
what is heard and what is heard comes through the word of Christ" (Rom
10:17). The novelist Dosteovsky was an atheist who lived in Russia in the
19th century. He was the author of the renowned books, "Crime and Punishment"
and "Brothers Karamazov." In punishment for his scathing criticism of the
Russian government, he was exiled to Siberia. Just before departing for
Siberia, an old woman presented him with a parcel. With joy he received
it and put it in his bag. On his arrival in Siberia, he found there was
no way of relieving the boredom of solitude. Longing to read something,
he opened his bag. What was his surprise to find the last thing he wished
for-a Bible. Reluctantly he began reading it and went through it not once
but several times. The period of exile was over. He returned to Russia
as a great believer in God.
Listening to the life-testimonies
of those who have had the experience of God, we grow daily and become rooted
in faith in Jesus. "...They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony"(Rev 12:11).
The Bible extols the greatness
of faith"...the genuineness of your faith-being more precious than gold
that, though perishable, is tested by fire- may be found to result in praise
and glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed" (1Pet 1:7). There is
an incomparable strength residing in those who believe in God. There are
only two persons who are omnipotent. One is God. The other is the one who
has faith. Jesus said, "For God all things are possible"(Mk 10:27). Jesus
also said, "All things can be done for the one who believes"(Mk 9:23).
Is not this great truth still unknown to believers?
Our faith in Jesus raises
us up to be like him. "Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in
me will also do the works that I do and, in fact will do greater works
than these, because I am going to the Father"(Jn 14:12). During his life
on this earth, Jesus raised the dead, healed the sick and delivered those
possessed by demons. All this power he has promised to those who believe
in him. "And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my
name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will
pick up snakes in their hand, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will
not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover"(Mk
16:17-18).
We are those called to partake
of the glory of the risen Lord (cf Col 3:1-2). The words Jesus said to
Martha standing at the tomb of the interned body of Lazarus are remarkable,
"Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God"(Jn
11:40)?
I had the opportunity of
attending the 3rd All India Charismatic Convention at St Peter's Church,
Bandra, Mumbai, in November 1978. Let me share a case of great healing
that took place there. Pauline D'souza was a school teacher in Mumbai.
On 18 April 1978, she was returning from school, as usual by the 6.55 train.
It must have been 8.30 pm when she heard a deafening sound. Her train and
the Janata Express coming in the opposite direction had a head-on collision.
Several bogies were shattered. Loud lamentation on all sides. Utter darkness
everywhere. Many died. Both the legs of Pauline were broken into bits.
The spine too was injured. After six months of hospitalization she had
to wear specifically-designed metal shoes to move about. It was in this
condition that Pauline came to attend the Convention, accompanied by her
parish priest. In her bag was a pair of shoes she had been using before
the accident. She had brought them along in the firm hope that she would
be able to discard the metal shoes and use the old pair. During the healing
prayer Pauline suddenly became unconscious. Later she testified that Jesus
and the blessed Virgin were seated near her, massaging her broken legs.
All of a sudden she opened her eyes. The priest conducting the healing
session ordered, "Get up and walk." She jumped up and removed the metal
shoes. All the pain left her. She was completely cured. She began walking
wearing the old pair of shoes. God be praised!
(to be continued)