28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, C October 9, 2022
Fr. Alexander Albert St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette
“Your faith has saved you.” Has it? Has your faith saved you? Maybe that’s a strange question for Catholics to hear, reminiscent of the protestant who inquires “have you been saved?” And yet, it is a worthy question. The fact that Jesus says it to some and not to others leaves us wondering what is the fate of those who have not been told this.
Just last week we considered what faith is and isn’t, acknowledging that faith is both a supernatural gift bestowed only by God’s power and a virtue, a good habit to be practiced and built up. Faith is not a magic wish list or an expression of willfulness, but the habitual response to say yes to what God is asking of us. And now we’re told that, for this Samaritan, the response of faith has saved him.
Saved him from what? Leprosy. Yes, but not just that. All ten were healed, but only this Samaritan is told that he is saved. Though we all know it, it bears repeating that our hope is not found in this world, but in the next. Salvation from leprosy, as impressive as it was at the time, it basically nothing compared with eternal salvation. This Samaritan former leper is brought into contact with the true gift of Jesus Christ, but only after he responds with gratitude.
It is that difference which points us to understanding what it looks like when faith brings salvation. In one sense, all ten lepers were healed by their faith. If we remember that faith also means obedience, we can point out that all ten of them obeyed Jesus, going to see the priests as soon as he told them. It’s hard to fault the other 9 for continuing to do what they’re told. It’s not exactly like they did something wrong, but it is clear that they failed to do something right.
This is the place where faith as obedience must point beyond itself to faith as relationship. The Samaritan leper apparently had every intention of obeying Jesus’ command to go see the priests, but that intention did not stop him from rejoicing in the gift. Indeed, the rejoicing was itself part of the gift. Because he remained open in faith without becoming disobedient, he discovered a deeper obedience, a more effective faith. Though no one understood how at the time, the truth is that Jesus is a priest. He is the High Priest, though in a different way than the Israelites were used to.
This is an important lesson for us Catholics, so rich in our traditions and practices. Recall that I said we can practice the virtue of faith by obeying what Jesus has already told us through scripture, tradition, and the rules of the Church. Yet, we cannot reduce faith to just following rules. Do not misunderstand me! I am not saying that faith means you can ignore or break these rules! I am simply pointing out that real faith, saving faith is more than the rules.
This is crucial to recall when we find ourselves simply plodding along, checking the boxes. Simply going into the confessional to rattle off a few half-considered sins doesn’t mean you’ve got faith that saves. If you worry only about getting to Mass but forget to actually engage with Jesus Christ at the Mass, have you really benefited from it?
The sacraments are powerful gifts. Truly, they are supernatural and miraculous. But, as I’ve said before, they are not magic. A sacrament without faith does not save you. No amount of communion helps your soul if you’re too busy to even act like you believe God has just entered your soul. Absolution from a priest does nothing if you aren’t sincere in your contrition for sins. It doesn’t have to be perfect, mind you, but there should be some indication that this is a relationship with a person who loves you… some indication that this isn’t just a mindless duty.
Has your faith saved you? This question is a tricky one. One reason we Catholics are so uncomfortable with it is that we instinctively recognize how difficult it is to answer. The idea of “once save, always saved” is obviously not true – even a little study of scripture makes that clear. Still, we know that the opposite extreme of total fear and uncertainty is also not true. Faith and hope have real confidence.
Has your faith saved you? The best answer to this lies in the middle, in the tension that comes from living in two worlds. We are in this world, but we belong to the next. Salvation and eternal life are the goal, but both of those things start here in this life. The answer can be summed up in saying “I have been saved, I am being saved, I hope to be saved in the future.” Salvation begins in Baptism, is carried out in the daily life of faith, and is brough to completion by death and resurrection. We can have certainty about the beginning, some confidence about where we are now, and a genuine hope for the future.
We can have those things, that is, if we keep our faith alive. All ten lepers received the initial gift, but only one allowed it to take root in the proper way. For all the complexities of the question “has your faith saved you,” there are two simple things we can look for to answer it: joy and gratitude. And, as many a saint and theologian has pointed out, these two are intrinsically connected.
So, if you want to be saved, if you want to go to heaven, if you want know if your faith is truly alive, look for joy and gratitude. This is why, a few weeks ago, I reminded everyone of the importance of giving thanks to God after Mass. Even if you do not feel grateful, making the choice to give thanks opens you to joy. Eventually, the feeling follows.
Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. That means we can’t just choose to be full of joy, but that we can make choices to nurture it’s growth over time. Continue to obey the teachings and rules of the Church, but do so knowing that it’s a living relationship. Talk to God as a person, not as some mystical force. When using memorized prayers, if something stirs in your heart, it’s okay to stop and engage with that, even if it means you don’t technically finish that particular prayer or set of prayers. Build up good spiritual habits, but be open to inspirations that might disrupt the routine in favor of an encounter with God and neighbor.
Jesus heals these men of leprosy, but every sincere confession heals us of sin – a far greater healing. Do not be like the 9 who took it for granted and moved on. Return with gratitude to Jesus who was faithful when you weren’t. Be grateful that your faith can be restored again and again. Then carry on, knowing that faith really does save.