The movie, "The Princess Bride", is quite the quotable movie. There are a number of great lines. I am particularly fond of the line "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." This is a response to a character who keeps using the word 'inconceivable" repeatedly, most of the times not being appropriate to the situation. It's funny because many times people will use words repeatedly and not get what the word actually means.
Sometimes, it is rather tragic. One such word that people bandy about is the word 'believe' or 'belief'. Most people mean that they hold a intellectual premise as true. However, their actions would not show that they actually do hold the premise to be true. Belief, as such, is seen to be a stagnate entity, a set of words etched into the words of a page, but not connected to anything beyond the words. Many times a belief is reduced to a an academic truth. Belief is more. In fact, with this 'more', one can rightfully question whether one does believe at all; whether they are using a word that does not mean what they think it means.
If one truly believes a proposition, one's actions will show that. For example, if I say I believe Copperheads are poisonous, it will change how I respond to or treat a Copperhead. If I say I believe it but handle a Copperhead as if were an earthworm, you might well question whether I actually believe or not. Yes, it is factually accurate that Copperheads are poisonous and my belief is well founded, but if my actions do not follow through with said belief, then I take an unnecessary risk. If my beliefs follow through, not only will I not handle the Copperhead like an earthworm, I will be cautious and teach others to be cautious.
Today, in the Catholic Church, is the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. The name 'Jesus' means 'god saves.' The name is itself an belief. It sets the essential reason for being of the Incarnate God; He comes to save. Save whom? Humanity. From what? Sin and death. I think most Christians would save they believe this. I would hope so, but do our actions follow through?
Jesus isn't the only entity out there saying they can save us. In fact, the entities are legion. Who we actually believe will save us, will be the entity we conform our lives to. For example, if I think sports save, then the focus of how I make decisions and set my priorities will reflect that. I will sacrifice time for other things to bolster it. I might not say 'sports save' but my actions will betray the internal disposition, whether I name it or not. You can just as easily replace the word 'sports' with wealth, fame, honor, power, pleasure, or a whole host of other things and get the same result. The purpose is not to say that any of these things are evil by their nature (they are not), but when Jesus gets the leftovers and not the first fruits, we are saying that we believe something else saves me.
I can say I believe the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. Factually, I would accurate. However, you will see the depth of that belief by whether of not I go to Mass, the attitude I have to it, the attitude I have toward Eucharistic Adoration, the attitude I have to state of my soul...and so on. You will notice it in the way I receive. You will notice in the way I handle the Eucharist as to see whether the belief has any depth or place. Again, belief motivate changes in behavior.
To use sports again (just because it is easier), if I truly believe that sports save me it will effect my willingness to practice, strength train, to eat correctly, to get enough sleep, how I spend my time and money, and will become the first priority. I will be okay with sacrificing the time and energy that might go to other entities (family, faith) in order to pursue what I think saves me. Sports are good...they are great in my humble opinion. Furthermore sports and exercise are essential to good health. But they do not save. No earthly venture does. How we set priorities tells God much about what we truly believe.
If belief is stagnant or has no bearing on our choices, how we can stand before God with any authenticity and say that we believed in Him. It is not enough to proclaim, even publicly, "Jesus is my Lord and Savoir", if our actions do not show that such a belief changes who we are and conforms our life to His. Saying I believe is not enough...actual belief, that which will provoke change in our lives and will inform our priorities, that is what Christ ask for.
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