CHAPTER 4: FAITH

ARTICLE: “START YOUR JOURNEY TODAY”

What does it mean to have faith in someone?

Faith – to believe in someone; to trust someone

What happens if we take this concept and apply it to God?

FAITH – is the virtue by which we believe all the truths God has revealed to us in Scriptures and Tradition; for God can neither deceive nor be deceived.

God’s grace can help us have faith and persevere in faith.

We should always pray to the Lord to “increase our faith” (Luke 17:5)

Faith as our response to God’s love…

Why didn’t God just created us to be able to do the right thing? Why do you think we have free-will?

Having faith in God is an act of love, and in order for us to truly love God, it must be choice.

God gave humans free will so that we can consciously choose good and avoid evil; we can choose to believe or not believe in God. He didn’t create us to be robots. If we have no choice, it wouldn’t be love.

If God knows everything, then he knows what I am going to choose. Do I really have free-will?

Faith as our response to God’s love…

Sin has confused our ability to choose good and avoid evil; we easily believe that sinful choices are good.

God sent His Son, Jesus Christ as: A sign of God’s love for us and how

we are to love God and one another Through Christ, God invites us to be

in a relationship with Him. Therefore when we reject Jesus,

we are rejecting God’s efforts to deliver us from sin and be in a relationship with us.

Reflection Question

The chapter began with claim that Jesus said all difficulties can be overcome if we have true faith in him. What are some difficulties you need to overcome in your life? What gifts, skills, or insights could you ask Jesus for, so he could help you overcome these difficulties?

Faith and the Catholic Church

Faith is something that is passed-on by our family, friends, teachers, and the clergy.

At Baptism – parents and godparents are asked to pass-on the faith to their child – primarily, through the example of their lives.

How can parents and godparents pass on the faith to their child? How can the Church help?

Is being active in Church a necessary aspect of having faith in God?

While it is true that we can pray and do good things without belonging to a church, having true faith in God means believing everything God reveals – we don’t pick and choose.

Scripture and Tradition teach us that God wants us to be part of the community of believers

Some reasons why we should be part of the Church

The Holy Spirit guides the Church

The Church is safeguards Scripture and Tradition.

Jesus instituted the Sacraments as a means for us to be closely united with Him.

We need others to support and encourage us.

Being part of a community helps us to “love one another” as Christ commands us

The Catholic Church and Other Christians

The Catholic Church believes that other Christians can offer many gifts to the world and bring the message of Christ to others.

However the Catholic Church believes too that: It’s the original Christian

Church that Christ founded. It’s has an unbroken

connection with the original apostles.

It passes on God’s complete and unchanging truths.

The Characteristics of Faith

Faith is a gift from God. We can never go wrong with placing our

faith in God Faith is an ongoing process; the more our

faith deepen, the happier we are and the more committed we are to Jesus.

Faith is necessary for salvation. It’s not enough just going through the motions.

Grace makes it possible for us to have faith. Faith is the beginning of eternal life.

Creeds as Statements of Faith Creed – comes from the Latin

word, “Credo” (I believe) – it is a brief summary of the things you believe in; Christians use creeds to summarize the things that God has revealed (See. P.52).

Apostles Creed – ancient creed that goes back to the early Church, containing statements about the Trinity and the Church.

Nicene Creed – said every Sunday at Mass; ancient creed that contains more statements about Christ and the Holy Spirit.