Thursday after the Epiphany of the Lord
John’s letter today seems to end on a proud note for all of us: “the victory that conquers the world is our faith” (1 Jn. 5:4). If we read this wrong, we might think to ourselves “I have faith, my faith will conquer the world, therefore I will conquer the world.” But this completely overlooks the question: where does my faith come from? Faith is a theological virtue, an experience of God’s unmerited grace that allows us to trust in God. In a word, faith is a gift—a completely unearned gift.
If we recognize that faith is a gift, two responses should emerge. The first is humility, as we begin to realize that any victory we take part in has very little to do with us. Any victory we share in is because God is fighting for us. This leads us to the second response: a missionary joy. It is a wonderful feeling to know that God has come to earth to be with you, fight for you, and love you. Who wouldn’t want this experience? Everyone would want this experience, and so we must do our utmost to share the news of God’s victory, and bring faith to all the world.