Foundations of the Definition of Faith in Dialogue with Porta Fidei by Benedict XVI

Abstract

Faith is closely linked with love. Acts of charity are what proves that we are believers and they can also serve as arguments for unconscious faith among the non-religious. If the Creator himself is the source of all such acts, in each act of charity we have to do with human consent and a manifestation of God's power. Through its various functions and dimensions, the Church is a signpost in the process of faith-building. Membership in the Church helps us open ourselves to this grace as it is a room for evaluative reflection on human deeds and thoughts, an environment in which hearts receive God's support in a special way, and aplace which gives us a chance to confront ourselves with other believers, whose testimony motivates us in times of spiritual dryness. Signs of the times are certain events in which man is able to see hints for his life more by asking about the reason for which they occur than about their nature.