Ventures

I came across this quote today:

“Our duty as Christians lies in making ventures for eternal life without the absolute certainty of success …

This indeed, is the very meaning of the word ‘venture;’ for that is a strange venture which has nothing in it of fear, risk, danger, anxiety, uncertainty. Yes, so it certainly is; and in this consists the excellence and nobleness of faith, this is the very reason why faith is singled out from other graces, and honored as the especial means of our justification, because its presence implies that we have the heart to make a venture.”

-- John Henry Newman from his sermon "The Ventures of Faith."

(Sources say this drawing of Cardinal Newman shows him at age 23.)