Faith And Seeing

Fides argentum est? aurum est? nummus est? pecus est? terra est? caelum est? Nihil horum est, et tamen est aliquid. Non tantum aliquid, sed et magnum aliquid. Interim non loquor de fide illa superiore, qua fidelis vocaris, accedens ad mensam Domini Dei tui, respondens ex fide ad verba fidei. Interim hanc si movero paulisper, de illa fide loquar, quae vulgo etiam fides dicitur, non quam magnam tibi imperat Dominus tuus sed quam tu exigis a servo tuo. Ipsam dico, quia et ipsam imperat tibi Dominus tuus, ne cuiquam fraudem facias, fidem serves in negotio, fidem serves uxori in lecto. Et hanc tibi fidem imperat Dominus tuus. Quid est fides ista? Certe non eam vides. Si non vides, quare quando tibi frangitur clamas? Clamore tuo convinco quod videas. Dicebas: Quomodo aurum Deo praepono? Aurum video, Deum non video. Ecce aurum vides, fidem non vides. An quod verius est, fidem vides. Sed quando exigis, vides illam; quando de te exigitur, non vis eam videre? Apertis oculis cordis clamas: Redde fidem quam promisisti. Clausis oculis cordis clamas: Nihil tibi promisi. In utroque oculos aperi. Inique, noli fidem, sed ipsam iniquitatem perde. Quod exigis redde. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, Sermo XXI, De eo quod scriptum in Psalmo LXIII, Iocundabitur iustus in Domino et sperabit in Eo et laudabuntur omnes recti corde Source: Migne PL 38.144-5

Is faith silver? Is it gold? Is it money? Is it cattle? Is it land? Is it sky? It is none of these things, and yet it is something. Not only something, but something great. For the moment I am not speaking of that higher faith, because of which you are called faithful, as you come near the table of the Lord your God, and answer from faith to the words of faith. This I put to the side for a moment and speak of that kind of faith which is also called common, not the great faith which your Lord enjoins on you, but the faith you demand from your servant. And this kind I say your Lord enjoins on you, not to cheat anyone, to keep faith in your business dealings, to keep faith with your wife in your bed. This faith too your Lord enjoins on you. What is this faith? Certainly you do not see it. If you do not see it, why do you make such a fuss when it's broken with you? By your fuss I convince you that you do see it. You were saying, 'How is it that I prefer gold to God? I see gold, I do not see God.' Now here you see gold and you don't see faith, or to be more truthful, you do see faith. When you demand it, you see it. When it is demanded of you, you say you do not see it? With the eyes of your mind open, you cry out, 'Keep faith as you promised.' With the eyes of your mind closed you cry out, 'I promised you nothing.' Open your eyes in both cases. Wretched one, cast out your wickedness not your faith. Return what you demand. Saint Augustine of Hippo, from Sermon 21, On what is written in the sixty third Psalm, 'The righteous man shall rejoice in the Lord, and he shall hope in Him, and all the upright of heart will be praised.' 1 1 Ps 63.11