You Gotta Have Faith
Several years ago, I spent a bit of time listening to testimonials of converts to Catholicism. There were people of all ages, all walks of life, who spoke about their conversion to the Catholic faith. Some people either didn’t believe in God, or believed in God but chose not to follow a particular religion, or others that just didn’t feel comfortable believing in a God that they couldn’t explain.
One thing that intrigued me about these conversion stories was the resounding similarity of formally-declared-atheists who converted to Catholicism. Each one of them cited an intellectual evangelization to the faith. There was a resounding theme of getting to know the Catholic faith and learning about its Truth that brought them closer to Christ. It was truly an eye-opening experience for me to see how the intellect, our mind, is a divine pathway right back to the Lord. And yet, it makes sense that we can’t love what we don’t know. These converts learned more, and love of God and the Catholic faith were a result of this learning about the Truth.
One of the stories that sticks with me is a surgeon who didn’t really believe in God. And yet, he had not one, but several moments in the operating room where miraculous occurrences happened, and he and others could not explain them medically. There had to be a higher power, there had to be God, in order to explain why amazing things happened in the OR. His conversion and declaration of faith centered more around the greatness of God, and the Goodness that comes through Him. It’s like when our hearts are moved by Goodness and Beauty in our lives. We acknowledge that the source of the goodness and gifts in our lives is not ourselves, it’s not things in this world, it’s Him. There are great gifts around us, so there must be a Giver.
What makes you declare your faith? Many of you have been Catholic all of your lives, but how is your belief rooted? Maybe your faith is rooted in things you have learned and continue to learn. Your mind was the entry point for God making sense and history shows how Jesus coming to our world was all part of God’s plan of salvation.
Or maybe your heart has been the entry point for God making sense and accepting His love through the ways you see God working in your life and others’ lives. Such as when you acknowledge God’s beauty around you, when God provides consolation for you after a really rough day, or when a peace washes over you after spending time in quiet with the Lord.
Maybe your faith is a combination of entry through both your head and your heart. Knowing the ways in which your faith is emboldened is important. It is those things that draw you closer and keep you close when times are hard.
Maybe now, in this time of summer, life is a little more laid back. The beautiful sunshine and longer days are radiating into your mood. Or other gifts such as dinner with friends or long walks or extra ice cream (made possible by our one good Giver) are holding you up. Now, in these calm waters of life, is an especially good time to store up those reasons you declare your faith, engraving them in your mind and heart for when the going gets tough, because the storms will come.
Or maybe the waters of life are rough right now, and the boat is out of your control. Now is also an especially good time to remember and lean in on those reasons you declare your faith. Now is a good time to recognize who is in the boat with you. He asks you, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” (Mark 4:40) But let me repeat, He is in the boat with you. Jesus is by your side. He doesn’t want the boat to crash against the waters either. And, yes, even the wind and sea obey Him. (Mark 4:41)
May we reflect on our faith and the ways in which we are strengthened by it, so that the waters of life are calmer.
