Saturday of week 18 in Ordinary Time 

Deuteronomy 6:4-13
Psalm 17(18):2-4,47,51
Matthew 17:14-20

GOD HOLDS OUR FAITH IN HIGH ESTEEM

In this thrilling section of the gospel, we find Jesus making an incredible journey to Jerusalem, imparting wisdom and teachings to his devoted disciples. Picture this: a desperate father, bursting with faith, approaches Jesus and his followers, seeking healing for his child. But when the disciples try to help, they’re unable to perform the miracle. Why, you ask? Jesus responds to their confusion with a simple yet powerful statement: “Because of your little faith.”

Now, while the father quietly fades into the background, our spotlight is firmly on the disciples. Jesus calls them out for their lack of faith, but he also offers a profound truth: even faith the size of a mustard seed can achieve the seemingly impossible. Isn’t that intriguing? We might wish for a deeper exploration of faith from Jesus Himself! Could it be that our tiny, fragile faith needs to be merged with Jesus’ incredible power to truly make an impact? It’s a thought-provoking lesson that challenges us to dig deeper.

As we ponder this captivating story, we see that the disciples’ little faith fell flat in this moment. But here’s the exciting twist: we are encouraged to hold onto our faith, no matter how small! It’s easy to feel frustrated or distant from God when our pleas for help seem unheard. Yet, in a parallel to a little child clutching a cherished treasure—sweaty, dirty hands and all—we realize that our small acts of faith are incredibly precious in the eyes of God. Let’s cherish and celebrate our little faith, for God certainly holds it in reverence!

Fr Joseph Osho