Faith, is not something that is static, but is similar, in a manner, to charity; it grows and develops the more that we nourish it. We are each given a natural goodness from the moment of our creation. If we live accordingly (being naturally good and living according to the natural law and right reason) God will then instil in us a supernatural grace of Faith. If we continue in this natural and supernatural goodness and faith, our faith will grow stronger. This is also true of all the other virtues. As we grow in faith, we necessarily grow in hope and charity. As one virtue increases or decreases, so do all the others.
This grace of Faith is given by God in the sacrament of Baptism. Those to be baptized are questioned as to what they desire from Baptism and the answer is Faith. To desire Baptism requires Faith, yet Faith is the gift of Baptism. Once again, we see that God has given a modicum of Faith, which fills those to be baptized with an appetite for even more Faith.
Protestants love to ask us, "how we know that we are saved?" We typically respond with St. Paul that we do not know that we are saved, but work out our salvation in fear and trembling. (Philippians 2, 12) Next, they wish to prove that good works are not necessary by pointing out to us that the Good Thief who died on a cross next to Our Lord performed no good deed, yet was promised Heaven. (St. Luke 23, 43) This special grace given by Jesus, was given as a response to the Good Thief's confession and faith. It is true that God gave him the first grace (as He does to us all), but it was necessary that this man cooperate with this grace, and it was in cooperating with this grace that he was given even greater graces. By his supreme act of charity, he "merited" the gift of God. He accepted his suffering as a just punishment for his sins and so, he not only confessed, but also did penance. Jesus has told us that we must each do likewise. (St. Luke 13, 5) We must therefore, not only believe (have faith), but we must put that faith into action. "Faith without works is dead." (St. James 2, 26)
The first germ of grace is given to us by God without our deserving or even asking for it. However, our labours (cooperation) are necessary to make the germ of grace grow and mature in our hearts. As this grace enters and we do our part to develop it, we see that we likewise increase in the other virtues as well.
St. Thomas in today's Gospel, believed because he had seen. Jesus tells him, and us, that those are more blessed who believe without seeing. Hearing about Jesus was a grace from God, but St. Thomas required more; he wanted to see Jesus. God granted this extra grace to St. Thomas, and displayed His Goodness and eagerness to save us. Very often God, not only gives us the initial grace, but quite frequently, He adds graces to this to make it even easier for us to do our part in cooperating with Him in our own salvation. He is more eager to save us than we are eager to be saved.
We have received a great grace in being able to believe without seeing. We should be very grateful to God for this. However, we must not become complacent, imagining that there is nothing more for us to do; nor should be become proud or boastful, thinking that we have accomplished some great work when we have actually done nothing.
Faith is the beginning, not the end of our spiritual progress. Faith gives us reason to hope. Faith and Hope work together to enkindle true Charity in our hearts. The measure of our Charity is what is most important, or as St. Paul tells us, it is the greatest of the virtues. We see that the Good Thief was given the first grains of Faith, and that even in the short time left of his life, he nurtured this Faith and developed Hope, and with Faith and Hope, his love of God matured to the point of opening up heaven to him. The same is true of St. Thomas. He was given the grace of Faith in hearing of the Resurrection of Jesus. He did not as yet believe, but he cooperated to the extent that he desired to believe and so we see that the next time Jesus appeared, Thomas was there. In seeing Jesus, Thomas was able to Hope, but more importantly, Thomas loved Jesus. Ultimately, it is this love that saved the Good Thief, and St. Thomas.
It must be so with us also. We have heard, as did St. Thomas and the Good Thief. We must act upon this grace of Faith as they did. We can be hesitant and slow as St. Thomas, or we can race quickly forward as did the Good Thief. Once we correspond with the Faith that is given us, we will be given more graces, and we will then be able to hope, and with this Hope will come Charity. Once we are filled with these graces, as well as all the others, we will find the gates of Heaven open up for us also. We must not, however, ever assume that there is nothing for us to do on our part. Nor, must we ever proudly boast that we have earned grace by our own efforts alone.