The Decrees of Faith

“The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17) Our life, our eternal life depends on our faith. There are different degrees of faith, and how much do we need to be able to remove every obstacle on our way, even those that stand as an irremovable mountain? As Jesus walked upon this earth many people approached him asking for healing, all of them had a different degree of faith.

On His way to Capernaum, a leper, that outcast of society who was forbidden to approach anybody, and who lived in a grotto outside the town among those who shared his same destiny, knew for sure that he was not going to be rejected by Jesus, that he was not going to be reminded of his condition and told to keep away from Him. So, full of trust on the Lord’s mercy, he told Him: “Lord, if you are willing you can make me clean.” (Matthew 8:2) And which was Jesus’ response? “I am willing, be cleansed.” And immediately the wonder took place after Jesus’ miraculous touch. What would be Jesus’ answer to us today if we said the same thing? Would He say: No, your sickness is too hard, too disgusting, your disease is incurable, you are lost? No, because we read in Luke 19:10 that the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

As He entered Capernaum He came across a man from a completely different social status. He was not a leper, an outcast, he didn’t come to worship Jesus, but to ask Him a favour. He, as a man of authority in his area, came to another man of authority whom he recognized as the Lord, and he interceded for his paralyzed servant. His admirable faith, which Jesus gave as an example that put to shame his own disciples, received an immediate response, and the servant was healed at a distance. The difference between these two men is that while the former didn’t make any reference to himself, he just threw his rotten flesh before the Master’s feet, the latter thought he had to be worthy to be visited by Jesus and even though he acknowledged Jesus’ authority as superior to his, he still approached Him as a man of position. As he believed it was given to him. (Matthew 8:13)

Other two men of faith had an encounter with Jesus at the entrance and in another city: the blind man Bartimaeus, and the tax collector Zaccheus. The city is now Jericho, in the beautiful green valley of the Jordan where many palm trees grew. Once again an outcast, a beggar, and a man of rank express their wish to see Jesus. The former asks for physical health and the latter for spiritual healing. Their faith makes them overcome the obstacle of a crowd that, in the case of Bartimaeus, wants to make him shut up, and of Zaccheus gets in the way between Jesus and him. Both men, paying no attention to the crowd’s opinion, insist on their determination to see and being seen by Jesus, so Bartimaeus calls louder and Zaccheus climbs up a tree. There is nothing that can interpose itself between Christ and man’s determination to be touched by His saving hand. Big is the faith of these two men who don’t want to lose the opportunity they have. While Bartimaeus is asked by the Lord what he wants, in spite of the fact that his condition and need are evident, Zaccheus is invited to come down from the tree andjead the Lord to his home. The one asks and receives, the other one is offered and he accepts joyfully; not without confessing without fear all his past sins against man and society.

Another opportunity in which Jesus is in Capernaum again preaching at a crowded house, four men of faith joined in a common cause present their plea before Jesus. Once again, as in the case of Zaccheus and Bartimaeus, there is a crowd that interposes itself between them and Jesus, but this is no motive for discouragement. The four men of faith, the four faithful friends, without asking for anybody’s opinion, climb to the roof and remove the tiles lowering the paralytic friend at Jesus’ feet. They recognize no physical or social obstacle to reach Jesus, neither the tiles, nor the scribes and Pharisees inhibit them, and their faith is rewarded with seeing their friend’s health restored.

Among all these men of faith who approached Him, there was also one who mostly by despair than by faith was moved to come to the Divine teacher. His son suffered from seizures and the man sought first among the disciples and then in the Master for healing. Jesus said: “If you can believe, all things are possible to Him who believes.” (Mark 9:22,23) His honest answer is “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.” Just as the leper, who had nothing to bring to Jesus, this man had not even faith to present Him but not even his unbelief was an impediment to approach the One who is the source of everything.

But not only men came to Jesus for their health to be restored or to intercede for others. There were women who dared defy all prejudices against a woman approaching a man. As He was in the heathen land of Sidon, He was approached by a Canaanite woman whose daughter was demon possessed. Jesus pretended to ignore her, and finally said that He was sent for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The woman’s insistence in having her plea answered made the Lord exclaim: “O woman, great is your faith. Let it be to you as you desire.” (Matthew 15:28)

Faith knows no obstacle, no rejection, faith is blind trust in the God of love whose ear is always open to hear our petitions and his heart always ready to pour blessings.
There is another woman whose faith is not uttered with words but with deeds. She pushes through a crowd that we always see gathered around Jesus, and opening her way manages to touch His garments. She has spent all her money in doctors, she has experienced one disappointment after the other, but now her only hope is to be healed by the Great Physician, and immediately, with the first touch of faith, the flow of blood, which she has had for twelve years, stops forever.

In all these cases it is revealed to us not only that faith goes through trials, that faith asks, insists, and doesn’t look at circumstances, but also that it is the only way to obtain healing and grace.

As a contrast to the faith of these heathen or Israelites that lived away from God, we are often confronted with the poor faith of Jesus’ disciples which led Jesus to exclaim: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they were in the boat fighting against the tempest in their own strength, (Matthew 14:31), or when they could not heal the possessed young man making use of the power bestowed upon them by their masters. All these facts made Jesus wonder if He would find faith on the earth at His coming.

Faith, no matter in which degree, is what we need when we plead to be healed. If once we are given faith and we use it not uttering words of discouragement or disappointment, and facing difficult situations with optimism, then the Lord will be able to work through us in any way He may have planned to do.

Although we are not to trust our faith but the promises of God (MYP 111), we cannot be happy if we don’t live by faith because it is only through faith that the heavenly plant of love will grow in our hearts.
May the Lord grant us a faith that will soar at every opportunity He gives us to live by it.
AMEN.