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A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Fr Dermot Preston

Good morning.

This is from a letter written by Cardinal Newman in 1848.

鈥淲e can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe.鈥�

Belief was a question that intrigued him 鈥� how does someone believe in something?

Newman gave a simple example. I might believe that Britain is an island, but how do I KNOW that? I could read it in books, look at photos, talk to people etc鈥� But that is second-hand information: when it comes down to it, the only way I could know that Britain is an island is if I walk the thousands of miles of the shoreline until I get back to that same point on the coast. Then I would KNOW.

Newman pointed-out that such knowledge is quite rare in life; we actually mostly rely on the knowledge that others have attained. In reality, most knowledge is built on faith 鈥� we have faith in others that have gone before us. Thus, even science is a matrix built on faith.

Each of us has a role in the healthy matrix of knowledge 鈥� we can enhance it by being truthful and trustworthy in our work, families and friends. We can damage it by the opposite. When trust crumbles, we start to look around for beliefs that can fill the gaps. Conspiracy theories abound. So, let us try to make this a day to enhance trust.

Lets finish with a prayer of Newman
May God support us all the day long, till the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in His mercy may God give us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last.

Amen

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