A Few Good Quotes

Who doesn't appreciate a good quote, words artistically strung together and packed with meaning? 

To entice you to read Pope Francis' new encyclical letter "Lumen Fidei" (The Light of Faith), I offer you some of my favorite quotes from the encyclical. Most of it was written by Pope Benedict XVI, but Pope Francis added his own insights to the unfinished work and recently released it to the faithful. Some of the quotes I selected are just a phrase or a few words, but all of the quotes spoke to my heart.

"We 'believe' Jesus when we accept His word, His testimony, because He is truthful. We 'believe in' Jesus when we personally welcome Him into our lives and journey towards Him, clinging to Him in love and following in His footsteps along the way."

"Those who believe come to see themselves in the light of the faith which they profess: Christ is the mirror in which they find their own image fully realized."

"Christians are 'one' (cf. Gal 3:28), yet in a way which does not make them lose their individuality; in service to others, they come into their own in the highest degree."

Faith "is meant to find expression in words and to be proclaimed."

". . . we need knowledge, we need truth, because without these we cannot stand firm, we cannot move forward."

Faith has an "intrinsic link to truth." And related to that thought: we have a "crisis of truth in our age."

"Faith transforms the whole person precisely to the extent that he or she becomes open to love."

". . . Love aims at union with the beloved. Here we begin to see how love requires truth. Only to the extent that love is grounded in truth can it endure over time, can it transcend the passing moment and be sufficiently solid to sustain a shared journey. If love is not tied to the truth, it falls prey to fickle emotions and cannot stand the test of time. True love, on the other hand, unifies all elements of our person and becomes a new light pointing the way to a great and fulfilled life. Without truth, love is incapable of establishing a firm bond; it cannot liberate our isolated ego or redeem it from the fleeting moment in order to create life and bear fruit."

"By His taking flesh and coming among us, Jesus has touched us, and through the Sacraments He continues to touch us even today; transforming our hearts, He unceasingly enables us to acknowledge and acclaim Him as the Son of God. In faith, we can touch Him and receive the power of His grace. Saint Augustine, commenting on the account of the woman suffering from hemorrhages, who touched Jesus and was cured (cf. Luke 8:45-46), says: 'To touch Him with our hearts: that is what it means to believe.' "

". . . believers know that, rather than ourselves possessing truth, it is truth which embraces and possesses us."

"What other reward can God give to those who seek Him, if not to let Himself be found."

My favorite quote of all might be the apt description  of our Lord as "the God of perpetual surprises."

If you have read "Lumen Fidei," please share your own favorite quotes or thoughts. If not, I encourage you to read the encyclical and let it speak to your heart.

 Inspired by this Year of Faith we will be posting columns like this from Susan Szalewski about exploring and/or deepening our faith. Watch for it on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

Blessings via Pope Francis

Every day we receive countless blessings from God, but last Friday we got a couple of bonuses, by way of our Holy Father, Pope Francis.

First off, we learned that we will have two new saints to help us to Heaven when Popes John XXIII and John Paul II are canonized, possibly before the end of the year. These popes have led at least two generations by their teaching and example. Soon the Church will be able to spotlight their lives for even more generations.

Secondly, we have a new encyclical, Lumen Fidei  (The Light of Faith). This encyclical was mostly written by Pope Benedict XVI, with Pope Francis adding some of his own touches and releasing it to the faithful. The collaboration highlights the greatness of both men: Pope Benedict's brilliant, deep faith and Pope Francis' profound humility in allowing another pope's unfinished work to become his first encyclical. Some have said that Pope Francis' contributions to the encyclical can be seen in his practical, down-to-earth style in sharing the faith.

Lumen Fidei caps off two previous encyclicals by Pope Benedict. Together they teach us about the divine virtues of faith, hope and love. Lumen Fidei celebrates our current Year of Faith and should top our reading lists. 

I'll admit that when I first learned about the encyclical I was reluctant to begin reading it. I felt obliged to read it but thought I might get bored by a scholarly work. But my homework quickly turned into joyful prayer as I heard God speaking through the words and teaching. Apparently I wasn't the only one to have that experience. One priest-blogger remarked that a portion of chapter three "leaped off the page and into my heart."

I haven't finished reading Lumen Fidei yet. I have decided to continue to savor the encyclical by reading it prayerfully and slowly through lectio divina. I would encourage everyone to be enriched in the same way.

Inspired by this Year of Faith we will be posting columns like this from Susan Szalewski about exploring and/or deepening our faith. Watch for it on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.