
Gospel – 8/8/20 – Matthew 17:14-20
A man came up to Jesus, knelt down before him, and said,
“Lord, have pity on my son, who is a lunatic and suffers severely;
often he falls into fire, and often into water.
I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
Jesus said in reply,
“O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you?
Bring the boy here to me.”
Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him,
and from that hour the boy was cured.
Then the disciples approached Jesus in private and said,
“Why could we not drive it out?”
He said to them, “Because of your little faith.
Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible for you.”
How many times do I fall to sin daily? I can’t really keep count because sin is so comfortable in this world we don’t even know we’re sinning most of the time.
That’s how difficult it is to overcome the world. Jesus, in today’s Gospel is so frustrated – even with his Apostles. It’s in the lack of faith he sees around him.
This father has Faith – in Jesus. He knows what Jesus can do so maybe it isn’t really even Faith, just knowledge.
But Jesus doesn’t care – he heals the boy and then reminds us how lacking we are when it comes to Faith itself.
Maybe, it’s because we’ve laid down beside sin for so long, we no longer recognize it and allow it to put doubt into our hearts.
That is why we can’t perform miracles like Jesus.
Tell the mountain to move from here to there – and believe it.
At least that’s what I heard Him say…
God has chosen well in calling you as one of his great disciples, of this I have no doubt. I thank you dearly for posting and sharing with the world your homilies & especially, “what I heard him say”. I am sure it touches profoundly all who listen or read as it has & does me! I am so grateful you heard Gods calling you & you listened & answered Yes! My faith, my understanding, & my love of Christ deepen daily with listening or reading your homilies and again I thank you!
Bless you dear Deacon Kenneth Stanley. We are truly blessed that you are here at SSJ. Personally I am forever grateful that the Lord placed you on my continued faith journey. You are such a God sent & I pray daily for you & your loved ones. May our Lord keep you safe….
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Donna, thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts. You and all of SSJ have helped me so much. It is an honor to serve you and this community.
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