The four benefits of faith

By Michael Incorvia

Painting by Fra Angelico (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons).

St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that faith confers four benefits, faith: unites the soul with God; introduces the soul to eternal life; guides the present life; and helps overcome temptation.

The soul is wedded to God through faith, for “I will espouse you in faithfulness” (Hosea 2:20).  A soul lacking faith is not acceptable to the Lord, “for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23), “[a]nd without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 10:6).

Knowledge of God is obtained through faith and eternal life is achieved through knowing God, for “this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).


Read the rest at Michael's blog To Love and Truth.

Duty and devotion

By Barbara A. Schoeneberger

St. John of Martha Celebrating Mass by Miranda (public domain).

A fellow blogger inspired this post when she wrote about her frustrations with Holy Days of Obligation being celebrated during the week, which necessitates our attending Mass according to Church law. Many people feel that way, some to the extent that they skip Mass, but not so this blogger who went because it was her duty to go whether she liked it or not.

Life is like that. We all have duties, some of which become outright oppressive at times. Who hasn’t been tempted to shirk them at home, at work, or church? The concupiscence of our human nature is constantly at war with our spirit which urges us on to the noble acts required by our status as children of God. Fulfillment of all of our duties according to our state in life and its attendant obligations is a virtuous act of filial piety, something we tend to rebel against now and then. Filial piety flows into devotion, which St. Thomas Aquinas tells us, is “the will to do promptly all that pertains to the service of God.”


Continue reading at Barb's blog Suffering with Joy.