Yes, I would love to have a faith that commands an obedient mulberry tree to be “uprooted and planted in the sea,” a faith that accomplishes the seemingly impossible: softening a hardened heart, converting wayward children, restoring damaged relationships, mending broken hearts, healing deep wounds. A faith that conquers all fear. How do I increase my faith?

Faith means not only believing that God exists and that everything He has revealed through Scripture, Tradition, and the Church is true, but also living according to these truths. Fr. Mike Schmitz teaches that faith in Jesus is inseparable from obedience: living this life for the next, becoming His disciple by striving to obey Him in all things. It is not perfection, but a sincere effort to “do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5).

The virtue of strength—fortitude—doesn’t come naturally to me. My cousin nicknamed me “Kitty

Cat Karen” because of my meekness and timidness. Many school days ended in tears, shed

over others’ unkind remarks. I was too weak and afraid to fight back—I didn’t know how to.

A burly, disheveled man holding a torn cardboard sign with faded lettering stands as a seemingly permanent fixture at the intersection. He’d be a monthly budget item if I gave him something every time I passed by. At times, my response to him has been less than charitable—my judgmental mind quickly recalling 2 Thessalonians 3:10: “If anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.” 

Hardness of heart is something that I have always struggled with. I wasn’t born with a heart of stone. My sensitive nature, easily hurt by family member infractions, caused my heart to harden as I constructed protective barriers. A memorable confession 20 years ago began the break down of these walls. “You need to forgive and love,” my confessor said gently and calmly. “I can’t!” I responded stubbornly, somewhat shocked by my audacity to challenge a holy priest’s guidance. Undeterred by my childish response, he leaned closer, looked me straight in the eye, and slowly, clearly, and firmly intensified the words, “Yes, you can.” He leaned back and continued, “With God’s grace, you can do anything.”

They “saw and believed.” Jesus is risen! Believe in the Resurrection, the most important mystery of our faith, the central teaching of Christianity. More than 500 people saw Jesus alive and were willing to undergo torture and die rather than deny this truth. When challenged to investigate Jesus’ Resurrection, once skeptic Sir Lionel Luckhoo (the most successful attorney in the world) after his extensive investigation concluded, “I say unequivocally that the evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leads absolutely no room for doubt.”

Lucifer’s greatest ammunition: those that don’t believe he exists. Demons are everywhere, and they hate you. There are demons assigned to closely watch each and every individual and tempt at your weakest point. My eyes widened as I listened to Father Mark Beard’s homily – “Interview with an Exorcist.” Solidly aware of Satan's existence, how do I fight?=

Jesus came “to bring glad tidings to the poor … to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free…” I am poor, continually in need of being replenished with spiritual nourishment. I am captive by worldly attachments, categorized by Bishop Barron as wealth, power, honor, and pleasure. Wealth: my desire for things and financial security. Power: wanting to be in control of my life and others. Honor: my desire to be loved and affirmed by family. Pleasure: desiring comfort, avoiding self denial, mortification, and sacrifice; having an inordinate desire for sensual delights, good food, ice cream, and sweets…

“… I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of His sandals…” John the Baptist humbly enlightened. “Pride is always going to be there,” I confessed. “You need to dig deeper to get at the root to improve,” Fr. Dan gently exhorted. A few phrases immediately jumped out in the Litany of Humility: the fear of being wronged, the fear of suffering rebukes, and the desire of being loved. Scripture and the saints provided additional wisdom. “If we were truly humble, nothing would change us... If someone were to criticize us, we would not feel discouraged...” (St. Mother Theresa) “Perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18) My love and that of others was not perfect. Desiring to be loved imperfectly by looking to other people and things wouldn’t satisfy.

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