Instability and Trust
Faithfulness means “to keep faith”; it is a quality, like all good qualities, that finds its counterpart in God, the prototype of all virtues. The phrase “God is faithful” occurs repeatedly in his holy Word. Yet “the one who calls you is faithful” (1 Thes 5:24), seeks to replicate that virtue in every human in all the situations of life.
One life situation, for instance, embraces our various kinds of work. Faithfulness in our assigned work, especially during times of fatigue or weariness, may require an unflagging and conscious faithful dependence on our faithful God, while not neglecting our own efforts. “If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength that God provides” (1 Pt 4:12, emphasis mine). This, of course, presupposes that we don’t neglect to cooperate with that divine support. In the words of the old seamen’s platitude, “Pray, sailor, but row for shore!”
Our faithfulness must be in accord with its definition, namely, that we “keep the faith”--that is, we don’t let go of it, or don’t falter in that faith in the Lord. Hence, our faithfulness requires that our dependence on him must be not only continual (uninterrupted), but also enduring (sustained endlessly).
We speak of fallen-away clergymen, fallen-away husbands or wives, or persons fallen away from the Church. To be fallen away means that one has relinquished a commitment--that one is unfaithful. There would be no unfaithfulness if our faithfulness was derived from and patterned after God’s. A truly faithful person is a trustworthy person, in imitation of God, who is trustworthy because he is faithful.
This excerpt is from the book Pathways of Trust, by John H. Hampsch,C.M.F., originally published by Servant Publications. It and other of Fr. Hampsch's books and audio/visual materials can be purchased from Claretian Teaching Ministry, 20610 Manhattan Pl, #120, Torrance, CA 90501-1863. Phone 1-310-782-6408.