Lack of Faith

Lack of Faith

Friday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

By Melanie Rigney

 “These, therefore, are the festivals of the Lord on which you shall proclaim a sacred assembly, and offer as an oblation to the Lord burnt offerings and cereal offerings, sacrifices and libations, as prescribed for each day.” (Leviticus 23:37)

Sing with joy to God our help. (Psalms 81:2)

Jesus said (to the people in his native place who took offense at him), “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith. (Matthew 13:57-58)

Piety

Lord, I humbly beg pardon for the times I have doubted your power in this world and in my life. Help me to put aside my human skepticism. Help me to be open to you.

 Study

What do we do when the hometown folks don’t want to acknowledge how much we've grown or how far we've come?

We might ramp up exhibitions of our talents, whether they be singing, acting, parenting, or general do-gooding and ministry, just to show them how great we are. Or, we might be inclined to argue with those silly fools who don’t appreciate just what they've got before them.

Jesus takes another tack. He doesn't get angry, nor does he storm off and leave town. Nor does he whip up a bunch of miracles to prove his powers. He simply chooses not to waste miracles on those who have openly doubted him because they knew him way back when.

We can learn from Jesus' example. We needn't waste our gifts on those who deride us for our faith or who reject what we bring in Christ’s name. But the lesson goes both ways. There is no problem, no challenge, no tragedy that God will not see us through. Perhaps it won’t be in the way we desire, but he will be there with us every step of the way, as long as we don’t reject him. We run into trouble, however, when we attempt to micromanage the situation and question God’s ability or desire to care for us. When we lose faith, we lose everything.

Action

Consider the Gospel reading. Where in your life do you not trust God’s help to guide you through a storm? Discuss with your prayer group or spiritual adviser; how can you open yourself up to trust and have faith in this situation?