The scriptures talk about "faith" in many different ways. One of my favorites is the letter to the Hebrews (11:1) where "faith" is described as "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." A similar notion of "faith" is utilized by Saint Paul in today's second reading from Romans (4:18). Paul calls it "hoping against hope." Or as I would like to paraphrase it, "in spite of evidence to the contrary."

Paul draws on the ancient story of Abraham and Sarah to illustrate what this kind of faith is. You know the story. Aged Abraham and Sarah, long past the time of child bearing, both aged, gnarled, and withered, were devastated. Not to have children to carry on the family was a terrible fate to suffer in that world. Worse yet, to have no male heir would put the meaning…