Faith Underestimated

~~~ Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest ~~~

~~~ Deuteronomy 6:4-13 ~~~ Psalm 18 ~~~ Matthew 17:14-20 ~~~

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.”

I think we may underestimate

 the power of faith...our personal faith.

We are too easily discouraged with our lack of faith.

Eventually we give up or think it does not matter.

The apostles were discouraged and frustrated 

with their inability to cure as easily as Jesus did.

They knew the gestures, the correct words...

They went through all the right steps and still they failed.

They failed because they did not value their own faith.

They valued their experiences with Jesus healing the people.

They could not value their own experiences

because they had not yet materialized.

The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!

Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God,

with all your heart,

and with all your soul,

and with all your strength.

Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today.

Moses spoke these words to the people

 with such passion and conviction 

that all generations down to you cherish them.

They mean the same today as they did when they were first spoken. 

The apostles could not initially heal as easily as Jesus

because they had not yet learned to put aside themselves.

They had yet to learn what was tiny as a mustard seed,

but of utmost importance.

They had to love God with their whole heart and soul.

They had to believe with all of their strength.

When they could do that then nothing was impossible.

The same is true for us...

our faith is rooted in the strength of our love.

We are Blessed in our faith when we learn

 to love God more completely.

Saint Dominic, pray for us.

~~Peace~~~