The virtue of the month for Challenge and Conquest in June is faith. There are two types of faith: what we believe (our Catholic faith as a body of teachings) and in whom we believe (God – our personal relationship with him). What we believe is important , but even more important is the One in whom we believe. Faith is hard because it means believing in something that we have not seen. If we could see it then it would not be faith – it would be proof and knowledge. Faith is hard because it involves trusting someone and putting yourself out there.
Faith grows when we listen more and more carefully to God’s Word and enter a lively exchange with him in prayer. Prayer is the first step of faith. To speak to God and try to listen to him, is an act of faith in his presence and person. Prayer can be in a Church, in front of Jesus in the Eucharist or it can be walking around in your normal day to day activities. St Josemaria Escriva once said, “Either we learn to find our Lord in ordinary everyday life, or else we shall never find him.” Faith cannot be disconnected from our life. That is why one should always practice what you preach or believe.
Throughout the Gospel, Jesus tries to teach his apostles about the importance of believing in God’s power. You can look to the passage where Jesus tells his followers that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, then you will move mountains. A mustard seed is so so small. Jesus is saying that it is not about our strength, but rather our faith in God’s strength. Sometimes all it takes is 5 seconds to make an act of faith and remember that God is there with us. Sometimes our prayers can be like little mustard seeds….small but powerful. On the back of the Challenge holy card is a simple prayer that you can say throughout the day to grow in faith. “Lord, help me to remember that nothing is going to happen to me today that You & I together can’t handle. Amen.”
The Catechism has many teachings about faith but one inspiring and simple number is #1842, which summarizes what faith means for a Catholic. “By faith, we believe in God and believe all that he has revealed to us and that Holy Church proposes for our belief.”