12th Cross - The Season to Believe Cross

Yesterday, we considered the role Faith plays during Lent, Today, let's talk about Faith's close sister - Belief.  This cross, the Season to Believe cross, reminds us that belief is an active thing.

If we say we have Faith, then we have to follow that Faith up by doing something. Belief is Faith put into action.  We see this often in Scripture. Here are some examples:

• Despite having no offspring and being advanced in age, Abraham (then Abram) put his faith in God who had promised to give him as many descendants as stars in the sky. Abraham had not even the slightest idea of how God could possibly accomplish this, yet he put his faith in the Lord, who "attributed it to him as an act of righteousness." (Gen. 15:6) Then, when God asked him to do something, Abraham believed God and acted.
• Moses guided the Israelites through 10 plagues in Egypt, and then led them out into the desert, fleeing the wrath of Pharoah.  He led them right up to the edge of the Red Sea and then stopped, not knowing what to do next, while the people cried out to him in fear and the Egyptians drew closer.  But God said to Moses, "Lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea, and split it in two, that the Israelites may pass through the sea on dry land."(Ex 14:16) Moses, like Abraham, placed his faith in God and believed him. So, when God told him to do something, Moses did it.  He lifted up his staff and stretched his hand over the water and parted the Red Sea.
• Three wise men, who did not know the God of the Israelites personally, at least, not in the same way that the Jewish people did, nevertheless had faith that they had been enlightened and guided in their learning to seek out the true God. When the star that they were waiting for at last became visible, they believed in its Truth and set out on a long and unknown journey. The Gospel of Matthew relates, "Behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage." (Mt 2:9-11) Their belief moved them to act, and they found what they were searching for. They looked upon the face of God.
• Possibly the most well-known example of belief in Scripture takes place in the Gospel of Mark. A father has approached Jesus, asking Him to heal his son who is plagued by a "mute spirit." The father tells Jesus that he has already asked the disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.  Upon hearing this, Jesus cries, "O faithless generation!" Strong words, indeed.  Jesus tells the father that "everything is possible to one who has faith. Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” (Mk 9:23-24) The father's faith moved him to act on the belief that Jesus could and would help him, and this is what happened.  His son was made whole.​

The boy’s father cried out, “I do believe,
​help my unbelief!” (Mk 9:24)

Like those in Scripture, we are also called to put our faith into action, to show our belief by doing something.  How we should act and what we should do varies, depending on our season in life and our circumstances. This Lent, let's ask ourselves: what are we being called to do?  How are we being asked to merge the Season of Faith with the Season of Belief?

Let us pray: Holy Trinity, we ask you to show us how we are called to show our belief.  Help us imitate Abraham, Moses, the 3 Wise Men and the father with the sick son in putting our faith into action. And in all things, let us praise you. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.