What it means to have Faith
**This is an original meditation**
Christ is the one in whom salvation is realized. Since Faith is the realization of things hoped for, Faith in Christ is the realization that Salvation is found in Christ (Hebrews Ch 11:1 “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for…”); and Faith in Christ is the only Faith we should have because the only thing we should hope for is salvation. No one hopes for damnation except those who are already damned (those in Hell), thus only Faith in Christ can lead to salvation. However, many have tried to enter and were not strong enough to persevere in realizing this Truth (Luke Ch13:24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough…”).
So how do we go about realizing this Truth? There are two choices: to stay on the path and be set free at every moment until we choose God with our whole being, or to choose a lesser good, a lesser god, a false god, and be trapped in that lie forever. Those who do not choose to repent cannot be freed from that labyrinth, that lie. For we are all liars, we all fall short of the glory of God (Romans Ch 3:23 “all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God”)
Sin is nothing more than a lie, which pushes us away from this Truth. So too is repentance required every step of the way. We say “I’m sorry my foot stepped here, I’m sorry my foot stepped there. For I walk upon the narrow path up the mountain, and I often times slip. Thank you for placing me here on this path of Truth.” For in doing so we are telling the Truth.
We must admit that we lied, to ourselves and to others, and admit that we should not do these things so that God may put us back on the path. True repentance is simply our free acknowledgement of the Truth. To maintain this Truth so that we do not lie again, we must also courageously be striving within our own hearts not to lie again (continuing to call out the lies in our own life), so to avoid another deception that separates us from the path. God will keep us on the path by His grace, which comes often in the form of the illumination of our minds and our hearts to where we are along the path. This is why the Act of Contrition is compiled in such a way. This is also why all sin is fundamentally the same (a deviation), and why all sins matter for our progress in the pursuit of Truth, Absolute Goodness, and Salvation.
This Truth at the top of the mountain must be so glorious because every step of the way is littered with so many wicked traps that point away from the summit, down the Hill and away from Calvary. Further, this Truth must be so good that without these many wicked snares, we would have no freedom to choose against it because of how good that Truth actually is at the top of the Hill . Thus, even trials and temptations are mighty gifts. We are littered with so many blessings that we cannot even realize them - sometimes until only after we face these trials. The journey on this path is filled with reminders that we are free to choose, reminders that God is Loving us more than we can comprehend, reminders that He sends trials to set and keep us free.
We must always be grateful when we are on this path, for trials can lead us off for a time. For though we only see a reflection of the Glory (1 Corinthians 13:12 “At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face…”), we ourselves can tell that when we have gotten back on the path that there is nothing better than the Truth, than Him who is the Truth, and is Life to its Fullest, and is the Way, the path itself. Living life on the Way of Truth is living Life to its Fullest. John Ch 14: 6 “I am the way and the truth and the life…” says the Lord. That is Faith.