Build your faith
Deuteronomy 6:4-13/ Psalm 18/ Matthew 17:14-20
In today’s gospel, the unnamed man stands in for all the parents, guardians, and other caregivers who sincerely pray for their children. We fervently hope and pray that parents who toil day and night for their children’s health and welfare will be blessed by Jesus’ response.
Again, the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith.” The implication is that there is a degree of faith required to accomplish great things. Jesus went further to recommend fasting and prayer as ways the disciples could grow their faith. Try this recommendation and see how it works in your life. In the first reading, the Israelites had to recite Shema Israel (Listen, Israel) daily and everywhere to build their faith.
In addition, the gospel tells us that the disciples came privately to Jesus and asked, ‘Why were we unable to cast it out?’ (Matt 17:19). We often ask Jesus, “Why?” Jesus himself supplies the answer: because of your “little faith”. What does your faith weigh? Can it resist the temptation to sin? Do we have real faith in Christ or lip service?
Lastly, Jesus compares our faith to a mustard seed, saying that if we have faith like a small mustard seed, we can move mountains (Matt. 17:20). This does not mean that we have to feed on mustard seed to grow our faith, as some currently do in order to see miracles. Rather, Jesus exhorts us to have a faith that grows like a mustard seed so that our faith can become strong to the point of achieving great things.
LET US PRAY
Draw near to your servants, O Lord, and answer their prayers with unceasing kindness, that, for those who glory in you as their Creator and guide, you may restore what you have created and keep safe what you have restored. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
