The Light of Faith (Lumen Fidei)

“Faith, received from God as a supernatural gift, becomes a light for our way, guiding our journey through time.” Signed on June 29, 2013 by Pope Francis and released on July 5th, The Light of Faith (Lumen Fidei) illuminates the urgent need in today’s age to both see and adopt faith as the guiding light to understanding human existence. It complements Benedict XVI’s encyclicals on charity and hope–God is Love (Deus Caritas Est) and Saved in Hope (Spe Salvi) . Therefore, The Light of Faith (Lumen Fidei) not only begins Pope Francis’s encyclical legacy, but it also completes the series of encyclicals on the three theological virtues. The document reflects on the roots of faith as revealed in the story of Abraham, the people of Israel, Christ, Mary, and the Church. Within an understanding of faith as both hearing and seeing, faith is considered in light of idolatry, reason, science, knowledge, truth, love, and theology. On this spectrum, Pope Francis casts light on the present culture: a secularized one that tends to discard, criticize or overlook faith. He portrays a culture that appears to have lost faith in God in exchange for a faith founded in technology, subjectivism, personal freedom, and fleeting love. Nonetheless, filled with hope, he affirms that faith is not an illusion. God is ever-present in our everyday lives, and faith is the shining star to brighten the horizon of mankind’s journey.