St. Joseph of the Lakes

Brothers and sisters:
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for
and evidence of things not seen. HB 11:1-2

Our father in faith, Abraham, was an old man and his wife Sarah is described as old and dried up. For all practical reasons he should never have expected a child. He complained to God about this and God tells him that he will give Abraham heirs that will number the stars of the sky or the sands of the seashore. Abraham places his faith in God’s promise to him. That is when he “realizes” what he has hoped for. Several years pass before this reality begins to come about. In their waiting, Sarah becomes convinced that God really meant for her maidservant to have a child with Abraham. Once born, Sarah would claim that since the child came from her servant it was her child. Once this happens, God speaks to Abraham to tell him the promise would be fulfilled by Sarah: she was going to give birth.They continued to wait until the three men show up (whom Abraham provides over the top hospitality for) and one of the men announces that by the time he returns the next year Sarah would have the child.

As children of Abraham we have our own promise to have faith in. We have heard it testified that Jesus has been raised from the dead. While Jesus was walking with us he raised several people from death, but each of these died once again. Jesus is a different case.  He possessed life in himself, so that even though we took his life from him he raised himself up. He continues to live at the right hand of the Father. He is our realization of what we hope for, that we too will not be swallowed up by death, but in fact will find our life in and with Jesus forever. As St. Paul writes: “ For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29) This is the center point of our faith that all of us have a share in that which has been promised.