• Who or what do you believe in?

• In whom or what do you trust?

• Do you have difficulty trusting in other

people? Why? Why not?

• Who is someone you see living out their

faith in an ordinary, everyday way?

Our Response to God

Everyday FaithWaiting for a bus or trainExpecting the teacher to come to

class◦What are some of the other things

we do each day that shows faith in someone or something?

◦Do those persons or things, at times, disappoint us?

What is Faith?A human trait of believing

◦Everyone believes in something Science Knowledge Political leaders or ideologies Themselves

◦All of these things have limits or fade or can become corrupt

FaithA God-given theological virtue or habit

of beliefA specific act or human response to

RevelationWord from the Latin fides, meaning

“trust” or “belief”An internal surrender of our whole self

to God (recall the Greatest Commandments)

Something that must be practiced—with practice comes wisdom

FaithBuilding blocks of Christian lifeA journey—with some high points and

some low pointsSomething you can feel strongly one

day and not the nextA daily response—through daily

habits or expressions of faith, it growsA grace that opens life to possible

realities beyond the present experience

Models of Faith Old Testament

◦ Abraham◦ Ruth◦ Hannah◦ Jeremiah

New Testament◦ Mary◦ Mary Magdalene◦ Peter

Church leaders◦ St Ignatius of Loyola

Jesuits

◦ Catherine of Siena Avignon Papacy

◦ St. Thomas More King Henry VIII

Belief

Comes from German, meaning what is

“dear” or “esteemed.”

Refers to a mental act or state of mind

placing trust or confidence in a

person or doctrine.

ReligionComes from the Latin religio,

meaning “respect for the sacred” or “reverence for the

gods.”

Refers to the set of practices and beliefs followed by those who believe

in and worship God.

Belief & Practice

Belief Practice

How are They Related?

Faith Belief Religion

Religion

Religion(output)

Belief

Faith

Faith and ReligionTwo sides of the same coinCannot have one without the otherFaith without religion = fades awayReligious practices without faith = “going

through the motions”Faith requires willingness.

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

Faith Belief Religion

Latin fides, meaning “trust” or “belief”

Germanic origin, meaning what is “dear” or “esteemed”

Latin religio, meaning “respect for the sacred” or “reverence for the gods”

A specific act or human response to Revelation

A relationship with God An internal surrender of

our whole self to God (recall the Greatest Commandments)

God-given theological virtue or habit of belief

A mental act or state of mind placing trust or confidence in a person

Set of practices and beliefs followed by those who believe in and worship God or doctrine

Continuous Cycle

Practice faith

Increase faith

Practice faith in

new and different

ways

Increase faith

Faith is a continuous cycle. The more you practice your faith, the stronger it will grow. The firm foundation of faith will sustain you even in difficult times. 

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a

wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the

winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set

solidly on rock” (Matthew 7:24–25).

Response Matters Faith: the way to our destiny

◦ Ultimate destiny Beatific vision Eternal life with god

Church; visible and spiritual◦ Means for our salvation

Death; separation of soul and body◦ Preparing for death

Faith is expressed in many kinds of beliefs and practices:◦ Discipleship

Prayer: communal and individual Sacraments Service Charity Justice

◦ Evangelization Spread the “Good News” in word and action Practice what you preach

Why?

How?

Faith in ScriptureJesus tells us about the power of

faith◦The role of faith in the miracle

stories The woman with the hemorrhage Blind Bartimaeus The boy with the spirit

“And the apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ The Lord replied,

‘If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to [this]

mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey

you’” (Luke 17:5–6).

“The Mustard Seed”