I’d love to be a man of action. You know, the Hollywood kind who has to ditch spies and disarm munitions to save the world; or the guys in the mid-20th century men’s magazines who fought jaguars and sharks with their bare knuckles.

Sounds like a great life, but in reality, my action tends toward tinkering. Experimenting in the kitchen, tying fishing flies and exploring the outdoors with my family are about as action-packed as my days get. I’m cool with that.

Action is important in faith, too. At times, this action feels the most challenging — but it probably shouldn’t be. The word “action” appears in the Catechism of the Catholic Church 100 times. With constant attention to prayer, every action can become an expression of faith.

Matt Collins puts his faith into action by using his skills for his parish. As you’ll read in the cover story, Matt has built up a mission of helping parishes and schools better serve their families with technology. Meanwhile, he’s been growing in faith and participating more in parish life.

The Missionaries of Charity let their actions be their most visible expressions of faith. Archbishop Mitchell Rozanksi reflects on how their charitable works on the peripheries can inspire Christians looking to become action-oriented.

While chasing international agents or fending off attacking felines might seem exciting (that’s why they’re the plots of fiction!), great satisfaction can come from the quieter action of faith. Our prayer, our works of mercy, our parish participation are opportunities to serve the Lord with gladness.

With that joy, I’ll be a man of action.