Why this homily matters?
How do you define Faith? If you say believing in things when there is no evidence, you are missing an important spiritual truth. Bishop Barron describes that Faith is all about trust and confidence in God. We never give up on our reason. That is not the Catholic way. That trust in God leads us to live heroic lives.
Key Points
Hero’s Journey
Popular psychologist Jordan Peterson discusses the hero’s journey in his work. We see the hero’s journey also in the Star Wars movies of George Lucas. Think of Luke Skywalker or other superhero stories like Spiderman.
According to Peterson, the hero’s journey is seen throughout the Bible.
Someone begins in the familiar with a kind of cozy domesticity. They are then summoned out into an adventure. The hero goes into an unknown land calling for courage. They face obstacles, their own fear and ignorance. But if they are stout-hearted enough, they will open up a landing area in the unknown land. And now others can follow.
This is the scene in the Hobbit by Tolkien. The story begins with Bilbo in a very comfortable home. Then the dwarves and Gandalf arrive and everything is upended. They invite him into an adventure. In so doing, he makes possible something that would not have happened otherwise.
This is the great hero’s journey.
Indeed, we see this all over the Bible. But in the biblical texts, note that the call to heroism is not just coming from inside the hero. Neither does it just come from friends or acquaintances who challenge the hero. But the one who calls forward the heroism is God himself.
What is Faith?
The letter to the Hebrews chapter 11 discusses Faith.
The enemies of religion love to contest Faith. For example, they say religious people accept any old nonsense. They have abandoned their reason. Accepting things on the basis of no evidence whatsoever. This is a childish way of thinking. That’s what Faith means to such people.
This is not what the Bible means by Faith. The Greek word used in the Bible for Faith is pistis. A better rendering may be trust or confidence. Trusting in God even when you are not sure where he is leading you. Trusting in God when it is not clear what God is about. But following him willingly with an attitude of trust. It is an invitation to a hero’s journey.
Hebrew Chapter 11 – By Faith, Abraham showed trust and obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he would receive as an inheritance. He went out not knowing where he was to go. This is what is meant by Faith.
Leave your comfort zone and go trustingly in search of something God will show you.
Trust , confidence , a willingness to go on an adventure. That is what is at the heart of the matter for people of Faith.
It’s one thing to believe in God. It’s quite another to have Faith in God. That‘s the test of your belief.
Abraham the father of Faith
Abraham is the father of Faith. In spite of his advanced age and his wife’s apparent barrenness, Abraham had Faith, trust in God. And from him there came forth descendants as numerous as the stars.
As baptized children, we too are children of Abraham. Because we are born of his Faith. Because he was willing to go on that journey, we are here today.
The pattern is repeated throughout the Old Testament. It is seen with Jacob, Joshua, Moses, Joseph, Saul, David… Similarly, Isaiah says, “Here I am. Send me”. Likewise, Jeremiah says, ” don’t choose me. I am too young”. God says don’t tell me you’re too young. I will give you the strength to go forth.
God’s Example of a Heroic Journey
St Ignatius of Loyola had a saying “semper maior” which is Latin for “always greater”. No matter where you are in your Faith journey, there is always another adventure for you. The God who awakens Faith, is the God who awakens heroes and for them to go on hero’s journeys.
But it goes even further. God too went on a hero’s journey. He undertook the adventure of creation. And then when we fell into sin, he took on the adventure of rescuing his creation.
Philippians 2 – Though Jesus was in the form of God, he did not deem equality with God a thing to be grasped. He did not remain in the cozy domesticity of his divine life. Rather he emptied himself and took the form of a slave. He humbled himself even accepting death, death on a cross. Becoming sin, to be able to save all of us. So we too could live a divine life.
He went on an adventure so as to bring us life. Our Faith, our trust in God, is an imitation of his willingness to go on a hero’s journey. Because he could do it, so can we.
We put our Faith in Him and accept our journey.
Suggested Homily
Scripture References
Hebrews 11:8-19
Luke 12:32-48
Philippians 2
Isaiah 6:8
Jeremiah 1:7