The beauty of faith springs from an encounter with Jesus, who offers us his friendship and transforms the way we live. In his love, we discover the freedom to trust, the joy of gratitude and a hope that sustains us even in suffering.

Imagine entering a dark room. We can barely make out what is inside. Someone switches on the light, and we discover that we are surrounded by friends. What joy! Something similar happens with faith: it illuminates our existence and enables us to recognise a constant presence that transforms the way we live. We are not alone. God knows us, loves us and comes to meet us.

The Christian faith has a face: Jesus Christ. In Bethlehem, God draws near to us in the vulnerability of a child. On the cross, he gives himself to the very end. In the resurrection, a horizon opens that death cannot close. His greatness is revealed in humility, forgiveness and mercy. Contemplating this way of loving awakens wonder. For me, this is where the beauty of believing begins.

Feelings can accompany and deepen faith, but its steadfastness is also revealed when they are absent. There are days of enthusiasm and others of dryness in prayer, weariness or unanswered questions. God’s love remains through them all.

Knowing that we are loved can transform us even when we experience no particular consolation.

Believing is a gift of grace that calls for a free response. God takes the initiative and enables us to welcome him without overriding our will. We can open the door to him, listen to his word and allow it to guide our decisions. Faith engages our intellect and our heart; it invites us to trust in a truth that exceeds our understanding.

One of its most beautiful aspects is friendship with Jesus. He calls his disciples friends (cf. Jn 15:15). Friends of God! We can speak to him about a family concern, a professional setback or a small joy that no one else has noticed. There is no need to play a part. We come before him as we are, with our weaknesses and our need for forgiveness.

This friendship grows through spending time together. Reading the Gospel, setting aside a few minutes for prayer and receiving the sacraments help us to know the one who loves us. His faithfulness invites us to return when we stray. Confession allows us to experience the mercy that lifts us up and restores hope.

Those who know they have been forgiven also learn to see the faults of others differently.

Trust grows out of friendship. For me, trusting means taking the step I understand God is asking of me, even though I cannot yet see the whole path. It does not mean demanding that he fulfil my plans. It means placing the outcome in his hands while accepting my own responsibility. Mary—his mother and ours—teaches us this openness: her yes makes room for God to act in ways whose full scope she could not grasp from the outset.

Years ago, I asked myself how much God had given us. The list overwhelmed me: creation, life, our divine adoption as his children, the Holy Spirit, the Church, the sacraments and the hope of heaven. In the Eucharist, Christ gives himself. And on the cross, he gives us Mary as our mother. Sometimes we grow so accustomed to these gifts that we cease to marvel at them.

To rediscover gratitude is to rediscover the ability to see their beauty.

But what happens when suffering comes? Illness, loss or a crisis can shake our certainties. Faith does not spare us tears or provide an immediate explanation for every wound. Yet it enables us to draw near to the crucified Christ and discover that we do not suffer alone. He knows human pain from within and remains beside us.

Saint John Paul II explored this hope in “Salvifici doloris”: united with Christ, our sufferings can acquire a new meaning and share in his redemptive work. This does not absolve us of the duty to alleviate our own suffering and that of others. It calls us to accompany, care for and love others, even when we still do not understand why something has happened.

I know the countryside around Munich through my bicycle rides and car journeys. From an aeroplane, those same roads reveal connections I had not seen before. Faith broadens our vision in a similar way: it helps us to place our lives within a wider horizon. We cannot unravel all life’s mysteries, but we trust in God, who can bring good even out of what wounds us.

The beauty of faith lies in living with the knowledge that we are loved and called to eternal communion with God. This certainty can bring a new spirit to our work, our life together and our care for those who need us. Such a gift calls to be shared: through simple words, respect for freedom and, above all, a life that makes visible the love we have received.

Resolutions

1. Nurture my friendship with Jesus. Set aside a few minutes each day to read the Gospel and speak to him about my joys, concerns and decisions.
2. Learn to give thanks and trust. Each evening, recognise a gift from God and place whatever troubles me in his hands, without shirking my responsibility.
3. Make the love I have received visible. Express my faith through a concrete act: ask for forgiveness, listen patiently or accompany someone who is suffering.

Dr. Karl-Maria de Molina

Director of FamilyValued.org