What Faith Can Build

St. Vartan Cathedral, 3:00 a.m., wrapped in silence.

Back in the 1950s, when our community dreamed of building St. Vartan Cathedral, they already knew where it needed to stand, right here in the heart of New York City. They had the vision. They had the faith. But they did not have the funds. And standing in their way were eight brownstone townhouses on that lot.

They didn’t have the money, but they had trust in God and a willingness to take one faithful step at a time. So they began raising the funds, prayer by prayer, donation by donation, sacrifice by sacrifice. And as the funds came in, they bought the townhouses one by one.

They kept moving forward, believing that if they did their part, God would do His. And when they reached the very last townhouse, the owner finally realized what was happening. But by then, it didn’t matter, because God had gone ahead and prepared the way.

That’s how God works.

So often we want the full picture before we take the first step. We want all the funding, all the clarity, all the guarantees. But God usually says, “Take the step first, and I’ll show you the next one.” Faith doesn’t always come with a blueprint; it comes with a promise.

Holy Scripture tells us, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Our people did not see a cathedral with their physical eyes; they saw brownstones. Yet through the eyes of faith, they saw a house of prayer, a spiritual home, and a beacon of hope for generations to come.

Friends, you may be standing in front of something that looks too complicated, too expensive, too difficult. A dream that seems delayed. A prayer that hasn’t yet been answered. But don’t be discouraged. God doesn’t need everything at once. He just needs your willingness to take the next step.

When you take one step in faith, God prepares the next one. When you do your part, God always does His part faithfully, abundantly, and often in ways you could never imagine. And one day, just like those faithful builders before us, you’ll look back and realize: God was working all along.

So keep believing. Keep trusting. Keep building. Because what God starts, He is always faithful to finish.