Faith is a gift
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“Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to man. As St. Paul indicated to St. Timothy, we can lose this priceless gift: “Wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith.” To live, grow and persevere in the faith until the end we must nourish it with the word of God; we must beg the Lord to increase our faith; it must be “working through charity,” abounding in hope, and rooted in the faith of the Church.”
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, #162).
Faith is absolutely essential for salvation. How often do we hear Jesus say in the gospels, “Go in peace, your faith has saved/healed you?”
Yes, faith is essential, but how do we get faith?
Faith is a gift freely given by God. Typically, we receive the gift of faith (the theological virtue of faith) in the sacrament of baptism. But we can lose the gift of faith. To keep the faith and grow in faith, we need to 1) pray to the Lord to increase our faith and 2) exercise our faith.
Different ways we can strengthen and exercise our faith.
- go to Eucharistic Adoration
- join a church ministry
- pray the rosary
- help people in need, spiritually and physically
- receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation
- participate in a retreat or workshop
- spend time reading and meditating on God’s words
Here at St. Ambrose, we offer various ministries and groups where you can strengthen your faith and love for God. Check out the groups on the tabs to the left and our “Parish Ministires” for more detailed information.