1) One paragraph summary of the key idea summarizing the topic of the week.

In today's world, there are many Challenges to Faith that face the Faithful everyday. Although there are many, a few of them are atheism, scientism, and moral relativism. First, atheism contends that no God exists. There are a few atheists throughout the ages who have spoken out about their atheistic beliefs in hopes of converting others to them. One of them, Friedrich Nietzsche, a positive atheist, said that "God is dead." He believed that Jesus and St. Paul were crazy people whose teachings had stalled human progress by starting the Christian faith. Thomas Hobbes, a practical atheist, believed humans do not have free will and that they are animals no matter how intelligent they are. The second challenge to faith is scientism, or the belief that the theories of science can solely lead one to truth. This can challenge our Faith because it can tell us that no God exists because there is no scientific evidence for His existence. Finally, moral relativism can serve as a challenge to Faith. Moral relativism, which says that the ideas of right and wrong are determined by personal taste, emotional preference, and cultural price, tries to challenge our faith by saying that morality is relative, and that one can do anything he or she wants. Consequently, this tries to convince us that God does not exist or He doesn't matter. As a result of these challenges, Faith is not an easy path and is an ongoing process of decisions which can lead us to grow closer to God, even in the midst of such challenges.


2) List and explain three of the most important ideas you want to remember from this week.
    

1. First, I want to remember Ignatius' First Principle and Foundation. I want to remember this because I think it can help me to better understand how I should live my life, and how I can grow closer to God.



The First Principle and Foundation We were created to praise, reverence, and serve God, Our Lord, and by this means to save our soul. The other things on the face of the Earth are created for us, and they are to aid us attain the purpose for which we are created. Hence, we are to make use of them in as far as they help in the attainment of our end, and we must put them aside in as far as they prove a hindrance to our end. Therefore, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things, as far as we are allowed free choice and are not under any prohibition. Consequently, as far as we are concerned, we should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short one. The same holds for all other things. Our one desire and choice should be what is more conducive to the end for which we are created

2. Second, I want to remember the stories of Aaron Feuernstein and Danny Meier. I want to remember these two men because they really demonstrate what faith and Faith mean. I hope that if I become a businessman, I can act as magnanimous as them in their work.
3. Finally, I want to remember Thomas Merton's Prayer. I want to remember this because I find myself in this situation at many times, and I really like his idea on how to proceed to the will of God.

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Aaron Feuernstein: Modern Model of Faith

More Than Money

• If I am Christian, does this affect my thoughts and views of things? If I say I am Catholic, does this view affect my thoughts and actions? Do I live my Faith?