Catechetical Lectures 5

Lecture V of the Candidates for Enlightenment, delivered extempore at Jerusalem: On Faith.

And a reading from the Epistle to the Hebrews:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

For by it the elders obtained a good report, and so forth.

How great a dignity the Lord bestows on you, who are being transferred from the order of the Catechumens to that of the Faithful!

Paul the Apostle, presenting this, says: God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ.

For since God is called faithful, you too receive this same appellation, receiving a great dignity.

For just as God is called good, and just, and almighty, and Creator of all things, so also faithful.

Consider, then, to what dignity you are ascending—that of God—

being about to become a partaker of His appellation.

Henceforth, therefore, this is what is required: that each one of you be found faithful in conscience.

For it is a hard task to find a faithful man;

not that you should show your conscience to me (for you are not to be judged by man's day), but that you may show to God the sincerity of your faith—to Him who tries the reins and hearts, and knows the thoughts of men.

A faithful man is a great thing, being richer than every rich man.

For to the faithful belongs the whole world of riches, in that he despises and tramples upon them.

For those who are rich in appearance, and possess much, are poor in soul;

for the more they gather, the more they are consumed by the desire of what they lack.

But the faithful man—most paradoxical of all—is rich in poverty;

for knowing that he need only have covering and food, and being content with these, he has trampled upon riches.

And not among us alone, who bear the name of Christ, is the dignity of faith great;

but indeed all things accomplished in the world, even those done by people outside the Church, are accomplished by faith.

By faith the laws of marriage unite into one those who were strangers to each other;

and a man, a stranger to other bodies and goods, becomes a partner through the faith pledged in marriage contracts.

By faith farming too is sustained;

for he who does not believe that he will reap a harvest does not endure the labors.

By faith seafaring men, trusting to the tiniest plank, exchange the unstable rushing of the waves for the most solid element, the earth;

committing themselves to uncertain hopes, and bringing along faith as more secure than any anchor.

By faith, then, most of human affairs are sustained;

and this is believed not among us alone, but also among those outside, as has been said;

for even if they do not accept the Scriptures, but offer certain teachings of their own, even those they accept by faith.

To the true faith you are also being called by today's reading, which set before you the way—how you too must please God;

for it says that without faith it is impossible to please Him.

For when will a man set out to serve God, not believing that He is a rewarder? When will a maiden remain a virgin, or a youth keep himself chaste, not believing that there is an unfading crown of purity? Faith is the eye that gives light to every conscience, and produces understanding.

And unless you believe, neither shall you understand.

Faith stops the mouths of lions, as in the case of Daniel;

for the Scripture says concerning him, that Daniel was brought up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

Is there anything more terrible than the devil? Yet even against him we have no other weapon than faith, an immaterial shield against the unseen enemy.

For he sends forth manifold darts, and shoots down in the moonless dark those who are not sober;

but since the enemy is unseen, we have a mighty covering—faith—according to the Apostle who says:

In all things taking up the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Evil One.

Often a fiery dart of shameful desire of pleasure is sent from the devil;

but faith, depicting the judgment to come and cooling the mind, quenches the dart.

And much is the discourse concerning faith, and the whole day's time would not suffice for us to recount it.

But let it suffice us now for the present to take from the examples of the Old Testament Abraham alone, since we too have become his sons through faith.

He was justified not by works alone, but by faith.

For he did indeed accomplish many things;

yet he was never called the friend of God until he believed.

And every work of his was accomplished according to faith.

He left his parents through faith;

he left his fatherland, and country, and house, through faith.

As, then, he was justified, so be you also justified.

He was henceforth dead in body for begetting children;

for he was an old man, and he had Sarah his wife, now an old woman, and there was no hope of childbearing.

God promises the old man the begetting of a child;

and Abraham, not being weak in faith, and considering his own body now dead,

attending not to the weakness of the body, but to the power of Him who promised, and reckoning faithful the One who had promised, marvelously obtained the child as from bodies already dead.

And after he obtained him, being commanded to offer up his son—and that too after hearing the word, In Isaac shall your seed be called—he offered up his only-begotten son to God, believing that God is able even to raise from the dead.

And having bound his son and laid him upon the wood, in purpose indeed he offered him, but by the goodness of God he received his son alive, God delivering to him a lamb in the stead of the child.

Being faithful in these things, he was sealed unto righteousness and received circumcision, a seal of the faith which he had while in uncircumcision;

receiving the promise that he should be the father of many nations.

Let us see, then, how Abraham is the father of many nations.

For of the Jews he is confessedly the father, by succession according to the flesh;

but if we attend to the fleshly aspect, we shall be compelled to call the oracle false.

For he is no longer the father of us all according to the flesh;

but the example of his faith makes us all sons of Abraham.

How, and in what manner? Among men it is something incredible that anyone should rise from the dead;

just as likewise it is incredible that childbearing should come from aged bodies grown dead.

But when Christ is proclaimed—crucified on the wood, having died and risen again—we believe.

Therefore, by the likeness of faith, we come into the adoption of Abraham, and then, after faith, like him we receive the spiritual seal;

being circumcised by the Holy Spirit through the laver, not the foreskin of the body, but the heart, according to Jeremiah who says:

And you shall circumcise unto God the foreskin of your heart;

In the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, and so forth.

If we keep this faith, we shall be without condemnation, and shall be adorned with all manner of virtues.

For so great is the power of faith that it even bears men up walking upon the sea.

Peter was a man like us, composed of blood and flesh, and sustained by the same kinds of food;

but when Jesus said, Come, having believed, he walked upon the waters, having upon the waters a faith more sure than any foundation, and his heavy body was lifted up by the lightness of faith.

But as long as he believed, he had a sure footing above the water;

yet when he doubted, then he began to sink.

For as his faith was little by little relaxed, his body too was drawn down together with it.

And perceiving his weakness, Jesus, who corrects the sufferings of souls, said, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? And again, being strengthened by Him who took hold of his right hand, from the moment he believed again, being led by the hand of the Master, he resumed that same walk upon the waters.

For this the Gospel mentioned indirectly, saying that, And when they had gone up into the boat.

For it did not say that Peter swam across and got up;

but it gives to understand that as far a distance as he came toward Jesus, just so far did he return, and again went up into the boat.

And faith has such power that not only is the believer saved, but indeed others also have been saved by the faith of others.

The paralytic in Capernaum was not faithful;

but those who carried him and let him down through the tiles believed.

For the soul too was sick along with the body of the sick man.

And do not think that I accuse him without cause;

the Gospel itself has said it:

Jesus, seeing not his faith, but their faith, says to the paralytic, Arise.

Those who carried him believed, and the paralytic enjoyed the healing.

And do you wish to see more surely that some are saved by the faith of others? Lazarus died;

the first and second and third day had passed;

his sinews were dissolved, and corruption was now consuming the body.

How could one dead four days entreat the Redeemer on his own behalf? But that which was lacking in the dead man was supplied through his true sisters.

For when the Lord came, the sister fell down before Him;

and when He said, Where have you laid him? and she answered, Lord, by this time he stinks, for he has been dead four days, the Lord says, If you believe, you shall see the glory of God;

all but saying, You, supply what is lacking of faith in the dead man.

And so greatly prevailed the faith of the sisters, that it called the dead man back from the gates of Hades.

Then others, having believed on behalf of others, prevailed to rise from the dead;

but you, if you believe sincerely on your own behalf, will you not be benefited even more? But even if you are unbelieving or of little faith, the Lord is loving toward mankind, and bears with you when you repent.

Only say, you also, with a good will:

I believe, Lord; help my unbelief.

And if you suppose that you are even faithful, yet you do not yet have the perfection of faith;

you too have need to say, like the Apostles:

Lord, increase our faith.

For something you have from yourself, but something much you receive from Him.

For the name of faith is one in its appellation, but is divided into two kinds.

For there is one kind of faith, the doctrinal, which has the soul's assent concerning some particular thing;

and it profits the soul, as the Lord says:

He who hears My words, and believes Him who sent Me, has everlasting life, and comes not into judgment.

He who believes in the Son is not judged, but has passed from death into life.

O the great loving-kindness of God toward mankind!

For the righteous indeed pleased Him in many years;

but what those acquired by pleasing Him through many years, this Jesus now bestows on you in a single hour.

For if you believe that the Lord Jesus is Christ, and that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved and transferred into paradise by Him who brought the robber into paradise.

And do not disbelieve that it is possible.

For He who saved the robber who believed for one single hour, on this holy Golgotha, the same will save you also when you believe.

And there is a second kind of faith, which is bestowed by Christ as a part of grace.

For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing.

This faith, then, which is bestowed by grace from the Spirit, is not only doctrinal, but also works things above man.

For whoever has this faith shall say to this mountain, Remove from here to there, and it shall remove.

For when any one says this according to faith, believing that it comes to pass, and doubts not in his heart, then he receives the grace.

And concerning this faith it is said, If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed.

For just as the grain of mustard seed is small in size, yet fiery in its working, and though sown in a small space encompasses great branches, and when grown can even shelter the birds;

so also faith in the soul accomplishes the greatest things in the swiftest moment.

For it forms an image concerning God, and beholds God, in so far as faith, being enlightened, is capable;

it ranges over the ends of the world, and before the consummation of this age already beholds the judgment, and the recompense of the promises.

Have, therefore, the faith that is from yourself toward Him;

that you may receive also from Him the faith that works things above man.

But in learning and profession acquire and keep only that faith which is now delivered to you by the Church, fortified out of all Scripture.

For since not all are able to read the Scriptures, but some are hindered from the knowledge by lack of learning, and others by some occupation;

in order that the soul may not perish for lack of learning, we comprise the whole doctrine of the faith in a few lines.

This I wish you to remember in its very wording, and to recite among yourselves with all diligence, not writing it on paper, but engraving it by memory upon the heart;

you shall give heed to the things delivered;

and have this as a provision throughout all the time of your life, and besides this receive no other henceforth;

not even if we ourselves, having changed, should contradict what we now teach;

not even if an adverse angel, transformed into an angel of light, should wish to deceive you.

For even if we or an angel from heaven preach to you any other gospel than what you have now received, let him be accursed.

And for the present, hearing it in its very wording, remember the Faith; but expect, at the proper time, the establishment of each of its contents from the divine Scriptures.

For the articles of the Faith were not composed as seemed good to men;

but the most essential points gathered out of all Scripture make up one teaching of the Faith.

And just as the seed of mustard in a small grain contains many branches;

so also this Faith, in a few words, has embraced in its bosom all the knowledge of godliness in the Old and New Testaments.

Behold, then, brethren, and hold fast the traditions which you now receive, and inscribe them upon the breadth of your heart.

Keep them with reverence, lest somehow the enemy despoil any who have grown careless;

lest some heretic pervert any of the things delivered to you.

For faith is to lay down the money upon the table (which we have now done), and God requires from you the accounts of the deposit.

I charge you, as the Apostle says, before God who gives life to all things, and Christ Jesus who witnessed before Pontius Pilate the good confession, that you keep this delivered Faith unspotted, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A treasure of life has now been delivered to you, and at His appearing the Master will seek the deposit;

which in His own times the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, shall show forth;

who only has immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable;

whom no man has seen, nor can see;

to whom be glory, honor, and might unto the ages of ages.