What Faith Can Do – 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
In 1997, after my theological studies in Jerusalem, I joined the World Youth Day in Paris. The highlight of this experience was meeting Pope John Paul II on his Papal mobile at a distance after his final Mass at the Longchamp Racecourse where a million youth spent the night. The choice of Paris was not at all random. The Pope gave a very striking message right at the heart of the cradle nation of the Enlightenment and atheism: “We live in an era of great transformations, in which ideologies quickly set, which seem to have long resisted the wear and tear of time. Humanity often finds itself uncertain, confused and worried, but the word of God does not end; it travels through history and, in changing events, remains stable and luminous.”
At the end of this experience, I was at a crossroad. I joined the event alone with no contact and limited funds. I was supposed to join the Filipino Delegation from Cebu. But with such a crowd, it was almost impossible to locate them. As the crowd dispersed, I felt deep anxiety and great fear. With my resources depleted, the frightful question was: where will I go next? I turned to prayer. I asked Mama Mary to guide me; that the group will find me! Before I could end my prayer, somebody called my name in an ocean of strangers. I was found! Faith really works.
In today’s gospel, the apostles implored Jesus to “to increase” their faith. But strangely, he did not enlarge or supersize their faith. He simply taught them that “a small faith” is enough to move mountains. There is a great temptation for us to make faith complex. Instead Jesus says make it simple. Because real faith, deeply rooted, never dies. It becomes a power within like a small light that can pierce the darkness. When we believe, miracles can happen. Faith is not just an idea or doctrine but a living relationship of trust and love. When we surrender ourselves to Jesus, he changes our lives. With him in our live, everything has a purpose. We can deal with anything that comes our way whether joy or sorrow. Faith always gives us a reason to smile.
Prayer:Lord, grant me a faith big enough that will give me a reason to smile despite the storm. Amen.
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