1. Faith
Chapter 4

2. Faith Faith, trust and love are closely related
Humans response to God’s loving invitation
Means giving yourself completely:
- heart – in complete love to God
- intellect – believe what God has revealed
- will – act on what we believe by choosing to do good
and avoid sin
Means believing in and being part of the Church

3. Faith & the Catholic Church
Holy Spirit guides the Church – reveals the full truth of the Gospel message.
The Church provides the mechanism for God’s Revelation (Scrip & Trad) to be passed on and safeguarded.
The sacraments unite members of the Catholic community.
The Church supports and encourages us to live the Gospel message.

4. The Characteristics of Faith
Faith is a grace, a supernatural gift from God
- God initiates the relationship; Holy Spirit helps us
recognize the invitation
Faith is certain
- God and everything he reveals is trustworthy
Faith seeks understanding
- means wanting a deeper understanding of God

5. Characteristic of Faith
Faith is not opposed to science
- God created both physical and spiritual reality
Faith is necessary for salvation
- having our relationship with God restored to what
he intended it to be in the beginning
Faith is the beginning of eternal life

6. Creeds Creed – summary of things you believe in; type of prayer
The Apostles Creed – dates back to the early Church in Rome
- Explains the doctrine of the Trinity to early
Christians
- Reflects the importance of the Church in God’s
plan

7. Creeds The Nicene Creed – recited during Mass
Dates back to the end of the 4th century
Contains more statements about Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit than the Apostles Creed

8. Sidebars Those Who Do Not Know Christ -
(CCC, 848) “In ways known to himself,” God can lead people to faith who have not had the opportunity to know Christ or the Church.
“And those who “seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will” (CCC, 847) may receive eternal life.
Other Religions - the Church respects other religions and “rejects nothing which is true and holy in these religions” – understanding other religions can deepen our understanding of God.

9. Saint Helen (ca. AD )
Mother of the first Christian emperor, Constantine
Converted to Christianity at 6o years of age
The patron saint of converts
Attentive to the needs of poor people, orphans, and those in prison
She is often pictured with the cross – a) she helped spread Christianity and b) tradition connects her with the discovery of the cross of Christ