Friday, 17th Week in Ordinary Time
We have heard a ‘shocking’ statement in today’s gospel reading: “(Jesus) did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.” It is easy to see the meaning and implication of this to our own life: Our lack of faith renders the Lord powerless to do any mighty deed for us. Our lack of faith prevents Jesus from performing miracles for us. It prevents him from helping each of us reach our full potential and be the best person that God intended each of us to be. It prevents him from making our family a home of love, acceptance, understanding, forgiveness, and reconciliation. It prevents him from making our parish community a channel of God’s providence, graciousness, and generosity. It is really sad, and even tragic, if it would be said about us: “Jesus was not able to perform any mighty deed for them… because of their lack of faith.”
Ano nga ba ang mga dakilang bagay na maaaring mangyari sa atin at mga biyaya o blessings na maaari nating matanggap kung talagang mananampalataya at mananalig tayo sa Diyos? Our faith, as manifested in our trust and confidence in God, that is, in our willingness to let God be God in our life, allows the Lord to deliver us from anxiety and distress. This enables us to receive the blessing of peace that can only be experienced by a trusting heart. Our faith, as shown in our ability to move on and overcome our frustrations, regrets, and guilt about the past allows the Lord to give us new opportunities. This enables us to receive the blessing of a new life that can only be experienced by a grateful heart. Our faith, as evidenced in our spirituality and practice of stewardship, sharing everything we are and everything we have to our community, allows the Lord to bestow more blessings upon us. This enables us to share in God’s life, which is what grace is.
Jesus says, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed… nothing will be impossible for you.” With enough faith, miracles can happen in us and through us. And I am specifically referring to the miracle of conversion, renewal, and growth in our personal life and communal life; the miracle of healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation in our family; the miracle of “multiplication of loaves” in terms of sharing our time, talent, and resources in our parish community. Faith allows God to perform mighty deeds for us and through us.
Parokya ni Osong 