Today, faith-knowledge is presented as a form of hearing; it is associated with the sense of hearing: “Mary sat down at the Lord's feet to listen to his words”. Knowledge linked to a word is always personal knowledge; it recognizes the voice of the one speaking, opens up to that person in freedom and follows him or her in obedience. Faith is also a knowledge bound to the passage of time, for words take time to be pronounced, and it is a knowledge assimilated only along a journey of discipleship.

Hearing God’s word is accompanied by the desire to see his face. Hearing emphasizes personal vocation and obedience, and the fact that truth is revealed in time. Sight provides a vision of the entire journey and allows it to be situated within God’s overall plan.

—To believe is both to hear and to “see”. We can understand, together with hearing and seeing, faith as touch. By his taking flesh, Jesus has touched us, and through the sacraments He continues to touch us even today. In faith, we can touch him and receive the power of his grace.