Nurturing my Faith with Mary By: Annicca Albano For many years, even until now, many people

believe in the saying that, To see is too believe. However, for faithful people, to believe is to see. Faith is believing in what is not imaginary, abstract, and those that are unexplainable but to Him, our Lord, who is spiritually true and real in our hearts. Many people struggle and doubt the reality of our one true savoir and Lord; however, through the guidance of our parents, relatives, friends and community, in our daily works and deeds, needed conversion and sincere prayers that bring us closer to the Lord, we strengthen our faith in the Almighty God. Mary, our mother helps us nurture our faith in Him through her apparitions and miracles that strengthens our Catholicity and Christian hood. She guides us through her sinless and graceful works and deeds and hears our prayers which help us make our intimacy with Christ as His children stronger. We grow with faith and by faith with the Lord and together with Mary, we nurture and strengthen it. Faith is something you have, not because you have seen miracles but because you know and believe that God should not be tested and asked for miracles. Apparitions of Mary strengthen our faith but seeing visions and the like are not necessary to build up our faith but only to nurture it. When we believe, we believe wholeheartedly that is to be doubtless and not to question His greatness not just in our words and deeds that may even show hypocrisy. When we have faith, we will realize that we are alive and living in Him and He is likewise alive in us. He may not be physically present but he is spiritually present. Faith, for me, is the one that will bring you closer to God and guide you to the correct path leading to His Kingdom. Faith is the one that will save you from the earths pain and God will be the one who will save you from eternal death and raise you to live in Him in eternal happiness. It is no doubt a fact that many people fail to strengthen their faith in the Lord. Through baptism, we become a part of the Church. The Church makes possible the assembly of people that are called together by Christ. God makes it as an instrument to guide us day by day with the works and deeds as well as with the good news of salvation that we gain knowledge and lessons from the homilies and the bible. It allows us to share in His kingdom and to receive blessings and holy sacraments that strengthens our Catholicity. Through baptism, our faith is renewed; confirmation seals our Christianity and oneness with Christ. Our parents, friends, relatives and community help us nurture our Christian hood by guiding and teaching us to do what is morally right. They may also encourage us to pray more often and to serve the Lord in various ways. Through sincere prayer, we

draw ourselves closer and even more intimate with God. It brings peace in our hearts and clarity in our minds. We are more enlightened with our life as Christians and our faith too. Mary, our mother, has never sinned for she never had space for sins; for she was full with grace. I realized that Mary, like the mother that we have and love, who is present with us, cares for is so much and guides us in our daily activities as man. She hears our prayers and answers it in ways that we cannot fully thank for. We may not have felt it but I believe, she answers it and reserves its coming to our lives in the right time and the perfect reason. She has made a perfect example of holiness and faithfulness to the Lord through her own life. She never gave up for Christ [and God] and continued to serve Him. She has also made appearances before people to ask them to pray, to convert, to bring peace in our world and to strengthen our faith. These build and strengthen our faith that we may live in holiness and be imbibed with Gods teachings and works. As a summary, faith brings us alive in God. We grow with faith as given by the sacrament of baptism. We are guided by our parents and all the people around us to not simply believe in what is imaginary but in what is real and true in our hearts. We grow by faith as we live in accordance to Gods will. We practice this everyday in our works and deeds. These are the things that strengthen us as men called by God. Faith, with Marys guidance, will bring us to our common end, in the kingdom of God.

That in All things, God may be Glorified! (2nd place in San Beda College Alabangs 2011 Essay Contest for Theology Week, for HS IV)