About eight months ago, I asked Parishioners to share with me what faith meant to them. I received many responses. For the next few weeks, I will share with you what they shared with me.

— Fr. Mike

“It’s too bad that there are limits on our language, because I feel like God’s understanding of faith is bigger than our words can capture, even if our hearts can feel it. But words have a power and they may have limited our view of faith. Think of faith in the context of the other theological virtues: love and hope. Each of these latter two have both a noun and a verb form; we can both feel hope and love and we can do hope and love. Faith, for our language, is only a noun. But I don’t think it is for God. I believe that we ‘faith’ all the time. When we stop texting on our phone and talk to the woman next to us who is trying to initiate a conversation. When we see someone with hazard lights on and we stop to see if they need help. When prayers beyond words are leaping in our hearts because of the amazing sunset… Whenever we act in a way that connects us to God, others, and creation in an intentional way, we are ‘faithing.’” —Maureen Day

“Faith to me is believing that God has our back! When I look around me, I see flowers that are so beautifully intricate, mountains so majestic, children so beautiful, people so loving and caring… None of that is possible without the hand of God. The blessings bestowed on me are so amazing. When I have doubts all I need do is count them one by one and see that God has my back!” —Henny Jocelyn

“Faith is ‘Fear knocked on the door, Faith answered…and nobody was there.’ I wish it was that easy…I think a lot of very faithful people throughout history have been afraid, but have taken the right step toward God in spite of their fears. ‘A faith that works means I have to put action into my beliefs.’ Just a couple of thoughts I’ve learned through my 12-step program.” —Barbara Ruiterman

“For me, faith is summed up in the words of the Divine Mercy Icon: ‘Jesus, I trust in You.’ Every morning and evening I see this image and say, ‘Jesus, I trust in You, thank you for another day of life.’ It gives me great comfort. After the death of my husband, Dave, I have a stronger faith…I have given my mind and heart to the Lord. Every day, I become more calm and at ease with myself and others. I remember that Jesus loves me, knows my every move and mood, and will never abandon me. Therefore through my suffering and loss, I hope to be stronger and an example to others.” —Stella Leué