VOM: Faith

GOAL: Understand the true meaning of faith, reflect and measure the intensity of one’s faith to God and
express its importance in living everyday.
I. What is Faith?
*It is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1)
*Knowing what God has said is true and, therefore, trusting Him with our whole heart, mind, and soul.
*It is the ability to stay calm and feel the assurance that everything is possible and will come in
accordance with God’s will.
*Believing that with God, even the impossible things can happen because in Him, all things are
possible.
*Trusting that God is in control as He tells us, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified
because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy
31:6 NIV).

II. What does Faith Look Like?

Chris and Alexa have been skating together since 2012. In 2016, they were married, but after the wedding,
Alexa was diagnosed with a gastrointestinal condition. After three surgeries, Alexa feared her skating career
was on the verge of ending, but never lose faith. “When my body was at my weakest, my faith was at its
strongest.” Alexa told NBC News. Against all odds, Alexa recovered and, with her husband, competed for Team
USA on Valentine’s Day last 2018 in PyeongChang. “We are just so happy to be alive together and to skate
together,” Alexa said, “and to have our dream of making the Olympics come true.”
Dr. Linda Mintle “We were driving to Michigan from Virginia for Easter with our two young children and family
dog. We stopped for gas at one of those self-service stops on the Interstate toll-road in Ohio. We were still
about three hours away from my parents’ house. It was cold and spitting snow. We had driven through the
night and it was about 4 a.m., so there was no one at the pay-at-the-pump fuel station. We filled up and
started to drive away when the van started to sputter, then stopped. With nobody around, we told the kids we
had no way to get help in time to make it to Easter services with the family. We didn’t even know how to call a
tow truck – particularly on Easter morning out in the middle of nowhere. So my husband instructed us to lay
hands on the car and pray. We did and tried to start the van – nothing. ‘Let’s do it again,’ he urged, ‘and really
believe God will help us. He lives and is here with us.’ The second time, we prayed. And the van started. We
prayed the entire way to my parents’ house. We pulled in to their driveway early in the morning and there the
van died. But God got us safely to Grandma's!”
Cristina Mincer La’st Thursday as I was headed for lunch, a couple approached me. She was about a week and
a half overdue to give birth to their daughter, Izzy. They are good friends of ours and I started praying. As I
prayed, I felt a distinct note of victory and I just praised God. When I got home, I checked Facebook and lo-and-
behold, they had posted that they were on their way to the birthing center! So, I posted on Facebook to them
that I had prayed – how I had felt an assurance that Izzy was just fine. Then, I thought nothing more of it the
rest of the day. The next morning, I received a message from her husband, Josh, telling me, “Thank you” for
praying for them. It turns out Izzy's umbilical chord was wrapped around her neck! When they learned Izzy was
in distress, they both panicked. Josh says as the doctors worked, he was going back and forth, torn between
faith and fear. He said for some unknown reason at the time, he checked Facebook, which he even thought
was odd in the middle of a life-and-death emergency. But he saw my post – where I had written how I knew
Izzy was going to be just fine. Josh said that made all the difference in the world – and set his attitude back to
trusting God completely!! The funny thing is that I don’t normally tell people when I have prayed for them and
I especially don’t post it on Facebook. I just felt led. God is so amazing!!! Izzy is happy, healthy and so is Mom.
Praise the Lord!!!”
To have Faith means…
1. Believing even without seeing.
2. Trusting that God can do and will do all that He has promised.
3. Having the assurance that something will happen although we’re not sure it will.
4. To pray continuously even if you still don’t know the answer or you are unsure.
5. Claiming that God has already granted and answered your prayers even before you see it.
6. Trusting that everything will be alright and it is all in the power and hands of God.

III. How to Develop Faith

Developing faith is like developing any other deep character trait: It takes time and effort. It starts with a frame
of mind. It is a choice.
1. Visit the chapel daily, attend class mass with sincerity and go to confession
2. Listening to stories about Jesus and His Goodness
3. Embracing trials and thinking that all of it will come to pass and trials will strengthen one’s faith.
4. Believing and trusting that with God, you can do all things according to His will
5. Surrendering everything to God because He is in control and not you
4. Putting in mind that everything that you need in life, God is your greatest and primary Source.
5. Constantly praying to have and increase your faith everyday.
Ex.
-Instead of complaining about the hardships of life, just thank God, pray and believe that He will
work with you, that you are not alone in every battle that you will face.
-If you need something, ask from Him because He has all the resources that you need and have
faith that He will listen to you and will give you something more than what you expect.