Column by Jonathan Nagy
Saltus fidei! Danish Christian philosopher Soren Kierkegaard created that Latin phrase, meaning “a leap of faith,” to describe human connections to God. He said that this phrase meant, “to believe in something or someone based on faith rather than evidence; an attempt to achieve something that has little chance of success.” Kierkegaard argued that God was only spiritual, not physical, which we know to be untrue since God created us in the human flesh, Jesus Christ became human, and we have Him with us in the Holy Eucharist. Kierkegaard’s argument is flawed, and the idea of a leap of faith does not really apply to those who truly believe, for when we believe, the need for blind trust is inapplicable. We never take a leap of faith when we place our faith and belief in Jesus Christ. However, sometimes what feels like a leap of faith is nothing more than a refocusing of our belief. Through these trials, we come to surrender ourselves and our trust to Him and His holy way for our lives.
Father Demetrius Gallitzin took what outsiders of the faith may consider many leaps of faith in his life, including physically leaping (or falling) into the harbor to board a boat to America, pursuing ordination to the priesthood, seeking a place where he could truly make an impact, and arguing with Bishop Carroll that yes, Loretto was that place. Each step of the way, Father Gallitzin put his faith in Jesus Christ to lead him down the right path. Just like the so-called “roads” of Western Pennsylvania in the early 1800s, the path was not always straight, smooth, or well-directed for him. However, he never lost sight of the true purpose presented to him by God.
One of my favorite stories about Father Gallitzin focuses on one of the most trying times of his life in 1808. Father Gallitzin’s beloved mother, Amalia, had passed away two years earlier, and the family inheritance, of which Demetrius had been using to fund his mission in Loretto, was now in the hands of his sister. While he loved his sister dearly, her marriage and laws at the time effectively cut him off from ever attaining any more of the money. He found himself severely in debt and looked for help wherever he could find it. He never asked his parishioners to help cover the debts, for the debts were created to help them and the growth of Catholicism in Western Pennsylvania. After traveling long days in the winter and facing the possibility of arrest for defaulting on a loan, he found himself alone with his thoughts and prayers in front of his fireplace. While the story has several iterations, here is the description as told by Daniel Sargent in his 1945 book, Mitri.
Demetrius Gallitzin had debts he could not pay and had no money, and although he had confidence in God, yet he was in great distress, and could not see how God could help.
One night in winter he was sitting by his fire saying to himself, “I am ruined. I cannot go on.” Outside the snow was falling, but there was no wind.
There came a knock on his door, and he called, “Come in,” and a stranger came in, but the stranger had something particularly strange about him, which the priest did not, at the time, notice: his overcoat was not covered with snow.
The priest was in such distress that he continued to lament to this strange stranger, “My work is in vain,” but the stranger, although a young man, began to comfort him, saying to him: “Has God ever abandoned you? Why should you lose confidence in Him now?”
Then the stranger departed, and after he had gone, the dejected priest noticed that he had left behind a wallet. He rushed to the door. There spread before him the snow, but no sign of footprints. He went back to the fire, opened the wallet and found four hundred dollars, which was just what he needed.
My children, God sometimes sends us very strange strangers.
While Gallitzin never lost faith in God, he temporarily lost the foresight to recognize that God would always provide and needed a reminder from the Lord that He is always there. How true that last sentence by Daniel Sargent is as well, “My children, God sometimes sends us very strange strangers.” Many times in life, angels in disguise are placed among us to remind us that God is there always, and that our faith was not lost, and our problems are really not that big!
In the 11th chapter of the Letter to the Hebrews, Saint Paul explains what faith is. He writes, “Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.” He continues in explaining the faith of those who came before the early Christians, including Abel, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, and others. After explaining all of the trials and tribulations of these great examples in the Old Testament, Saint Paul ends the chapter by extolling, “And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.”
There it is. Such a powerful statement! God awarded their faith, not by giving them what they thought they wanted, but by giving them what He knew would be better for them. He does the same for every person throughout history who has had faith in Him and will do so until the end of time. God knows us and loves us, and the acknowledgement on our behalf of this belief makes those actions reciprocal. There is no leap of faith. There is only faith in the one who can move mountains.
All who believe will have their faith challenged at some point in life, even some of the most respected people, like in the case of Father Gallitzin. The challenge is to focus our faith on Jesus Christ and know that by following Him, all shall be well. One of Pope Saint John Paul II’s most famous quotes is on this very subject. He said, “I plead with you – never, ever give up on hope; never doubt, never tire, and never become discouraged. Be not afraid.” In addressing the world with that quote, he was redirecting our focus to always have our faith in God, and in doing so, a leap of faith becomes irrelevant.
People are longing for hope so much that Pope Francis has declared this Jubilee 2025 the Year of Hope. Hope replaces the need for a leap of faith. We truly believe in God and His loving, saving power, but we each have our individual hopes for what He can do for us. In declaring the Jubilee, Pope Francis said, “Everyone knows what it is to hope. In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring. Even so, uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness, from serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt. Often, we come across people who are discouraged, pessimistic and cynical about the future, as if nothing could possibly bring them happiness. For all of us, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope. God’s word helps us find reasons for that hope.”
Everyone who conducts an examination of their faith can at times reflect when their uncertainty has held them back from doing what it is that God is asking of them. It may have been a seemingly small ask like helping a neighbor, or a large ask such as ignoring the call to priesthood. We require a strong faith to trust in God and where He directs our lives. Lent is a great time to reflect on our faith in Jesus Christ and listen to His plan in life for us. I challenge everyone to do what I have asked the Children’s Choir at the Basilica to do during Lent, which was to find a quiet place for a short time each day and simply sit in silence and listen to what God is telling them. This is a good habit for not just the season of Lent, but for the entire year. God is calling, but are we listening?
Saint Paul, Pope Saint John Paull II, Servant of God Demetrius Gallitzin, and Pope Francis all echo the same message, that faith in God is no leap of faith. Place your faith, hope, and trust fully in Jesus Christ and He will never lead you astray. To conclude, I would like to include the final verse to one of my favorite hymns, In Christ Alone.
No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
May your faith in Jesus Christ continue to leap over the fears in your life!
Jonathan Nagy, M.Ed., is the Dean of Students, Director of Alumni Relations, and Social Studies teacher at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School in Ebensburg. He is also the Music Director at the Basilica of Saint Michael the Archangel in Loretto.
