when we think of faith, we generally think of it as our response to god. but in 1 corinthians, st. paul lists it among the nine charisms, or gifts of the spirit.
it's a rather extraordinary list. wisdom and knowledge appear on it along with the more fantastic gifts like prophecy, the working of miracles, speaking in tongues, the interpretation of tongues, the discerning of spirits, and healing. and it's strange to think of faith in this way, i think. but over the years, i've come to find it a rather comforting perspective.
my life, i would say, is defined by doubt and skepticism-not the certitude one normally equates with faith. it was something i perceived as a defect or flaw in myself. but now i think of the parable of the talents, of the servants who were entrusted by their master with a certain sum of money. and in the end, it was not the sum that mattered at all, but rather what was done with it-through discipline, through sacrifice, through diligence, through obedience.
and i'm also reminded of a passage from evelyn waugh's novel, helena. set against st. helena's growing disquiet regarding the ambitions of her son, emperor constantine, she embarks on a quest to recover relics of the true cross. and in one particularly beautiful passage, she considers the magi:
"you are my especial patrons," she says. "patrons of all late-comers, of all who have a tedious journey to make to the truth, of all who are confused with knowledge and speculation, of all who through politeness make themselves partners in guilt, of all who stand in danger by reason of their talents."
"for his sake who did not reject your curious gifts, pray always for all the learned, the oblique, the delicate. let them not quite be forgotten at the throne of god when the simple come into their kingdom."
this is very encouraging and very timely. I was just discussing some of these things last night with a friend... namely, the parable of the talents and our "curious gifts" that don't always feel like gifts.
I appreciate your reminder that faith is a gift of the spirit. and I appreciate you sharing your own reflections on doubt and skepticism. you hit the nail on the head when you said they were something I had "perceived as a defect or flaw in myself."
thanks for sharing this! I'm going to check out that novel by Evelyn Waugh.
it's a rather extraordinary list. wisdom and knowledge appear on it along with the more fantastic gifts like prophecy, the working of miracles, speaking in tongues, the interpretation of tongues, the discerning of spirits, and healing. and it's strange to think of faith in this way, i think. but over the years, i've come to find it a rather comforting perspective.
my life, i would say, is defined by doubt and skepticism-not the certitude one normally equates with faith. it was something i perceived as a defect or flaw in myself. but now i think of the parable of the talents, of the servants who were entrusted by their master with a certain sum of money. and in the end, it was not the sum that mattered at all, but rather what was done with it-through discipline, through sacrifice, through diligence, through obedience.
and i'm also reminded of a passage from evelyn waugh's novel, helena. set against st. helena's growing disquiet regarding the ambitions of her son, emperor constantine, she embarks on a quest to recover relics of the true cross. and in one particularly beautiful passage, she considers the magi:
"you are my especial patrons," she says. "patrons of all late-comers, of all who have a tedious journey to make to the truth, of all who are confused with knowledge and speculation, of all who through politeness make themselves partners in guilt, of all who stand in danger by reason of their talents."
"for his sake who did not reject your curious gifts, pray always for all the learned, the oblique, the delicate. let them not quite be forgotten at the throne of god when the simple come into their kingdom."
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this is very encouraging and very timely. I was just discussing some of these things last night with a friend... namely, the parable of the talents and our "curious gifts" that don't always feel like gifts.
I appreciate your reminder that faith is a gift of the spirit. and I appreciate you sharing your own reflections on doubt and skepticism. you hit the nail on the head when you said they were something I had "perceived as a defect or flaw in myself."
thanks for sharing this! I'm going to check out that novel by Evelyn Waugh.
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