"Do you believe that I can do this?"
"Yes, Lord," they said to him.
Then he touched their eyes and said,
"Let it be done for you according to your faith."
Simple deism supposes that God can -- and will -- do whatever he wants. That's a god easy to believe in, if you mean by belief a supposition that such a god ought to exist somewhere. Preferably somewhere far away. It's not a god one would want to "believe in" as a reliable, affectionate friend.
When the Christian considers Jesus's word, "I no longer call you slaves..., I call you friends!" we understand our own belief. We must be faithful as God is faithful. We believe in God because God believes in us.
We are faithful because God faithfully gives us the Spirit of Fidelity, that bond of love between the Father and the Son.
Deism ignores Jesus and knows nothing of the Holy Spirit.
Challenged by two blind beggars, Jesus asked them, "Do you believe I can do this?"
He cannot do it without their faith; nor would he want to. There is nothing to build on.
During Advent the Church celebrates the Virgin Mary because she believed the Word of the Angel Gabriel. Although a young woman, she was prepared to believe by a long history of faith, a heritage which had begun with Abraham and Sarah.
Her Be-it-done-to-me expressed an eager, enthusiastic, open willingness to receive whatever the Lord would do, say, and make of her. Although Gabriel had come to her from God, she knew God better than he did, for she trusted God with her body and soul. Her purity allowed her to know God as child, handmaid, spouse and mother; it was only natural that she should become pregnant with the Incarnate Word of God. Her fiat might have been, "Of course!" Of course I will receive God's only begotten son as my only begotten son! You have only to ask, but you hardly need to ask! "I am the handmaid of the Lord!"
The Church has long taught that Mary's ready response was vital to our salvation.
The story of these blind beggars reminds us that your response and mine are also critical. God will not impose upon us anything we do not want, neither healing, forgiveness, salvation, nor union with God. But, accepting the Lord's offer of life, we come to life with energy and joy. And then we share eternal life.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.