Supernatural Faith

A Reflection on the Psalm for Sunday, February 25th, 2024:
Second Sunday of Lent

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Psalm 116 

R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

I kept my faith, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted.” Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones. 

R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

O Lord, I am your servant. You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice and call on the name of the Lord. 

R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. 

R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Recently I wrote about a “divine renovation,” where the Lord pressed upon me that He is unafraid of tearing down false foundations in the heart. He has been renovating my own heart as of late and, for me, the rebuild has repeatedly brought up the theme of the Catholic Church’s three theological virtues – faith, hope, and love. I’ve written numerous times about hope, and with Psalm 116, I believe the Lord is asking me to look at the theological virtue of faith.

To date, I have wrestled with living virtuously. But for what reason, and to what end, am I trying to be virtuous? Is it even possible by my own merits to do so?

To some degree, yes and no. Per the Catechism of the Catholic Church, there are both human virtues and theological virtues (CCC 1810). Human virtues “are acquired by education, deliberate acts and perseverance,” yet they are “rooted in the theological virtues.” Note the following distinction: the theological virtues “relate directly to God [...] They have the One Triune God as their origin, motive and object” (CCC 1812). They are “infused by God into the souls of the faithful to make them capable of acting as His children and meriting eternal life” (CCC 1813).

In short, without the theological virtues, attaining human virtue is far more difficult, and likely driven by motivations other than God Himself. The theological virtues are accessible only through shared life with God. God wants to be in relationship with us and imbue us with these supernatural gifts! Any character building or self improvement must be sourced from them. They ensure the grace we need to propel our efforts.

Faith, by Catholic definition, is “the theological virtue by which we believe in God and all that He has said and revealed to us” (CCC 1814). Returning, then, to Psalm 116, it reads as a beautiful anthem of faith. When the psalmist proclaims they “believed” despite great affliction, and affirms they will “walk in the land of the living,” it isn’t toxic positivity, choosing happiness, or a dissociation from real difficulty and pain. It's a supernatural expression of faith in the things God has promised to us, in this world and the next. The psalmist embodies a degree of heroic virtue made possible only by the grace the theological virtues allow.

Occasionally we meet people who give incredible witness by continuing to praise God and proclaim His truth, despite the most dire of circumstances or greatest of suffering. These folks help us realize that managing our difficulties without access to the divine life is a near impossible task. Many have had their burdens become “sweet and light” once they begin to depend solely on the Lord.

I invite you to reflect on the beautiful expression of faith in Psalm 116, regardless of the presence or absence of crosses you carry today. If you struggle to believe and trust what the Lord promises, ask to receive the gift of faith. If you already possess great faith, praise Him for it. With Him, we walk in the land of the living, today and always.





Michelynne Gomez

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