“In the promise also of God he staggered not by distrust; but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God: most fully knowing, that whatsoever he has promised, he is able also to perform. And therefore it was reputed to him unto justice. Now it is not written only for him, that it was reputed to him unto justice, but also for us, to whom it shall be reputed, if we believe in him, that raised up Jesus Christ, our Lord, from the dead, who was delivered up for our sins, and rose again for our justification.”
God’s promise to Abraham had no natural foundation, but was built entirely on a promise. There was no sign, no proof, but His word alone: “The grass is withered, and the flower is fallen: but the word of our Lord endureth for ever” (Isaias 40:8). God promised both a great number of children: “’Look up to heaven and number the stars, if thou canst.’ And he said to him: ‘So shall thy seed be’” (Genesis 15:5) and a great dignity among them: “Thy seed shall possess the gates of their enemies. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice” (Genesis 22:17-18). The second is of greater note, because God says magnificent things to you: “How beautiful art thou, my love, how beautiful art thou!” (Canticle 4:1); “I have loved thee with an everlasting love” (Jeremias 31:3); “Cry to me and I will hear thee: and I will shew thee great things, and sure things which thou knowest not” (Jeremias 33:3), which you may not see, but you can receive them with faith, hearing them with your heart rather than your senses and believing in His magnificent promises, not wavering in belief: “He that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and carried about by the wind” (James 1:6). When a temptation arises that would make you doubt God’s love and goodness, your worth in His eyes, or the equal love He has for your neighbor, quench it with words of love: “If thou blow the spark, it shall burn as a fire: and if thou spit upon it, it shall be quenched: both come out of the mouth” (Ecclesiasticus 28:14); “In all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one” (Ephesians 6:16). This will strengthen you in faith, just as Abraham was, which gives glory to God: “I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify thy name forever” (Psalm 85:12). The words of God are promises to you, that you may have faith in His words, as He works to make you His representative of love on earth: “Being confident of this very thing, that he, who hath begun a good work in you, will perfect it unto the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6); “Do not therefore lose your confidence, which hath a great reward” (Hebrews 10:35). To waver in faith is to doubt either the love or the power of Jesus, which is a wound to the Sacred Heart: “O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:31), but to believe in both of these at all times is true justice: “We also believe in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by the faith of Christ” (Galatians 2:16). Therefore, Abraham’s trust becomes an example of true justice, which is to be led by the hand by the words of God, for to believe in God does not mean only to believe that He exists: “Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble” (James 2:19), but to believe in His love: “Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1). Jesus went to death to save you from sin, and rose again that you may know that His love for you overcomes death: “Love is strong as death” (Canticle 8:6). Therefore, there is the magnificent starting point of justification, that you may not despair of His love for you: “For if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9), with the journey from there being a growth in the art of love: “Behold as clay is in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel” (Jeremias 18:6); “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus in good works, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). This is to live a resurrected life, you that have died to sin, now justified, may walk the narrow way of constant love: “For we are buried together with him by baptism into death; that as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).