Faith and Works: The Real Connection

From this morning’s meditation in the Magnificat by Sister Ruth Burrows:

How do we attain intimacy with God? Or, rather how do we enter into the intimacy offered? We must be certain that no wooing is necessary. We do not have to find ways of attracting the divine partner, of getting him to notice us. Here is someone who is love itself, the very fount of our existence, enfolding us, inviting us to receive him, drawing us to his heart…”

As I read this I immediately thought of the old and tiresome argument, or accusation, that Catholics believe they must “work” their way into Heaven.

Nothing could be further from the truth! We are loved by God beyond our imagining. His love is constant, never failing. I could compare it to the never ceasing rays of the sun that even though we cannot see those rays at times due to night, clouds, storms, etc., they are still there. Yet this analogy is simple, childish, for even the sun at some point in time will fail. God’s love will not. Even if we try to escape His love, we cannot; not in this life or the next. For that same love is the cause of the immeasurable joy of Heaven and the immeasurable pains of Hell.

Although the love I have for my wife ebbs and flows with the passage of time and hers does as well. Nothing I could do could make her love increase at this point in our lives. Nothing she could do could make me love her more than I already do. No amount of work on my part, no lengthy prayers, or entreaties could increase her love. Our love is complete as far as humanly possible. When we say “I love you” we mean it completely – fully, faithfully, and fruitfully until death.

It is the same with the Lord’s love for me (and you). No acts of service in His name, no prayer or sacrifice (not even the Mass), no penance or heroic feat – not even martyrdom could increase His love for me. He is love itself. His very nature and essence is love. It is perfect love and as such, lacks nothing and cannot be added to.

So, why perform “works”? Why perform acts of service? Why pray and sacrifice? Why endure penance or even martyrdom?

It is a return of love – not a wooing. I do all these things not to increase His love but to increase mine. I am not trying to earn my way into Heaven and His heart. I am, or rather He is, changing my heart to be more like His; to in some small way make the prayer “Oh my Jesus, make my heart like unto Thine” a reality!

His love is constant, mine is fickle. My “works” are inspired by His love. These are not “empty works”. They are the gentle, constant breath of the Holy Spirit upon the weak embers of my heart working to fan them into the burning flames of love for God, the love of God; the God who is truly present in my neighbor. St. James tells us “…faith without works is dead“(James 2:26). If we were to write this as an equation, it would look like this: faith without works = a dead faith. Here is where there is often a mistake, that is, simply looking at the word “works” and seeing those “works” only in and of themselves and not seeing the heart, the love, that inspires those works. A million Masses, ten million rosaries, a billion mea culpas will not increase God’s love for me nor earn me a spot in Heaven. This is even more so, especially so, if done without love; not a love that seeks something in return from the lover but out of complete, total, gratuitous generosity inspired by the love that loves me first. That love combined with action will change me! It will make me more fully reflect the One in Whose image and likeness I am made!

This fire of Divine Love within my heart is nearly uncontainable, unquenchable. Like its source, it must find a path to others, to the world. The manifestation of this love is the works I do, not to woo, not to impress, and certainly not to earn a prize that is already mine – given freely. No, it comes from a deep faith alive with the Love of God. A heart that has received this love and seeks only to keep it is truly dead. The woman forgiven of her many sins was loved by God beyond her imagining. She performed works of love (tears, washing feet, pouring out oil) not to gain more love from God but because God’s love was bursting forth from her very being! God’s love is life and life giving. It is poured out upon all equally “the just and the unjust”. Mine should be the same. Otherwise, I become a “noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”

There is no way to make God love me more. His love for me, for all of us, is infinite and complete. Yet, I have a choice. His gift of freewill allows me to accept or reject His love. Rejecting His love is like guarding against that gentle breath of the Holy Spirit, allowing those embers to grow cold.

Do I believe that we will be judged by our “works”? Yes, for our works are a reflection of our love. Only my love, a love that is selfless, free, and expecting nothing in return will be judged on those eternal scales of Mercy and Justice. How is that love lived today while I walk through this valley of tears? That love is lived through my works of love toward others not hoping for a return, not trying to woo God, not trying to prove my worth, but simply because He first loved me.

Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading.