What does faith ask of the Lord Christ?

Many ask for miracles from the Lord Christ. He came down to us so that we may know Him and ask Him to dwell in us. Pope Cyril the Great says, “This, however, we must carefully notice, that God does not excite an empty astonishment or vain wondering, but that such things are far from the divine Substance, which is free from pride and boasting, and altogether true, for the sole good and safety of mankind. And this I say, that no one may expect from sacred faith and the divine power useless changes, for instance, of the elements, or the removal of mountains and plants … Let the thing be but useful for some real benefit, and the power will not be wanting.”⁴⁰

And St. Clement of Alexandria says, “Receive Christ, receive sight, receive thy light, ‘In order that you may know well both God and man’ ( Iliad , v. 128). ‘Sweet is the Word that gives us light, precious above gold and gems; it is to be desired above honey and the honeycomb’ (Ps. 19:10).”⁴¹ He also says, “For each one by itself does not express God; but all together are indicative of the power of the Omnipotent … It remains that we understand, then, the Unknown, by divine grace, and by the word alone that proceeds from Him.”⁴²

And St. Augustine says, “Christ dwells in you by faith. Where faith is present, Christ is present; where faith is awake, Christ is awake; where faith sleeps, Christ sleeps … Arise and stir yourself. Say, Lord, we are perishing! ”⁴³

37 St. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, or Miscellanies 1.9 (ANF 2:309–310).

38 St. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, or Miscellanies 4.3 (ANF 2:410).

39 St. Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Heathen 10 (ANF 2:201).

40 St. Cyril of Alexandria, A Commentary upon the Gospel According to St. Luke: Part II , trans. R. Payne Smith (Oxford University Press, 1859) 113.6: p. 537.

41 St. Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Heathen 11 (ANF 2:203).

42 St. Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata, or Miscellanies 5.12 (ANF 2:464).

43 St. Augustine, Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament, Volume I , trans. R.G. Macmullen (Oxford University Press, 1845) Sermon 31.8: p. 252, amended.