Category Archives: Lumen Fidei

The final section of Lumen Fidei calls upon the intercession of Mary: 60. Let us turn in prayer to Mary, Mother of the Church and Mother of our faith. Mother, help our faith! Open our ears to hear God’s word … Continue reading →

A deep Marian spirituality can inform and deepen a believer’s faith: 59. We can say that in the Blessed Virgin Mary we find something I mentioned earlier, namely that the believer is completely taken up into his or her confession … Continue reading →

Saint Luke gets us started with some last words that reflect on the Blessed Mother, under the heading of “Blessed is she who believed (Lk 1:45).” 58. In the parable of the sower, Saint Luke has left us these words … Continue reading →

There’s an important caution in LF 57, namely that faith does not give all the answers to the turmoil of mortal life. 57. Nor does the light of faith make us forget the sufferings of this world. How many men … Continue reading →

We’ve largely looked at faith in a positive perspective thus far. What of faith when it is tested? Two sections explore “Consolation and strength amid suffering.” Saint Paul’s second letter to Corinth is a classic text of a saint’s faith … Continue reading →

Yesterday we left off with the encouragement for people to keep in mind Christ’s incarnation and the Paschal Mystery. What does that give us? The ability to penetrate a bit more deeply into the universe, and move from the sin … Continue reading →

Let’s examine with Pope Francis “A light for life in society,” in which the consideration of the family widens to the greater human community: 54. Absorbed and deepened in the family, faith becomes a light capable of illumining all our … Continue reading →

Optimism about the young: 53. In the family, faith accompanies every age of life, beginning with childhood: children learn to trust in the love of their parents. This is why it is so important that within their families parents encourage … Continue reading →

The next two sections explore “Faith and the family.” Let’s draw out the themes of this section which provides important material which deserves a deeper reflection–probably a theological treatise of its own: 52. In Abraham’s journey towards the future city, … Continue reading →

The Holy Father’s exploration of the common good wraps up with this section. Would you have supposed this close connection between a believer’s faith in God and the human community? Let’s read: 51. Precisely because it is linked to love … Continue reading →

The fourth and final chapter of this encyclical letter is titled, “God Prepares A City For Them” (cf. Heb 11:16). Other commentators have remarked about the references to the letter to the Hebrews in this encyclical. It does provide a conduit … Continue reading →

Wrapping up Chapter Three, an affirmation of the Church’s magisterium, based on tradition that stretches from the Scriptures to Vatican II: 49. As a service to the unity of faith and its integral transmission, the Lord gave his Church the … Continue reading →

Pope Francis makes a case for faith as a body of belief, taking things a bit beyond faith as a quality of virtue: 48. Since faith is one, it must be professed in all its purity and integrity. Precisely because … Continue reading →

With today’s post, we look at the final subheading in Chapter Three, “The unity and integrity of faith.” How important is unity? Does it consist in a surface tranquility among believers and between the believer and her or his God? … Continue reading →

Today’s post looks at the topic of “Faith, prayer and the Decalogue” in its entirety in this one section. The “prayer” Pope Francis cites is the common daily prayer taught by the Lord Himself: 46. Two other elements are essential … Continue reading →