The Faith

Now you are able to appear before him holy, pure and blameless – as long as you persevere and stand firm on the solid base of the faith.
Colossians 1:22-23

Paul is in a Roman prison, writing to the church in Colossae.  He is writing to warn against false teachings he has heard the church has been exposed to. The antidote to false teachings, suggests Paul, is to "stand firm on the solid base of the faith".

"The Faith".  As a Catholic Convert I often heard this expression and found it quaint and a little archaic.  I asked various Catholic friends what "The Faith" actually was and, true to Catholic form, they couldn't tell me.  For a while I was quite dismissive of it, thinking that it seemed to exclude Jesus.  However, my attitude has changed over time and exposure to Catholicism.  As Saint Paul seems to allude to in his letter to the Colossians, The Faith is something all-encompassing of an authentic Catholic life.  It includes the Bible, Catholic teaching and traditions, liturgy, daily devotions, the lives of the Saints and the sacraments all focused into a day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute following of Jesus.

Even this definition doesn't fully satisfy me.  I guess I'm still discovering the richness of what The Faith truly is.  All I know for sure is that The Faith is something that can be lost, its is something that can be found and it is something to treasure.

Jesus my Rock and Foundation.  Thank you for the gift of Faith.  Teach me the fullness of what it is that I have received.
Little Flower, please pray for me.