Let It Grow

                                                                Mustard Seeds   by Scarletina

In recent days our Gospels have focused quite a bit on Jesus' miracles.

Ten days ago we heard of this same miracle we hear today—the calming of the sea.

Earlier we had Mark's account, today we have Matthew's.

And in between, we've heard Matthew's accounts of other miracles.

Curing a leper.

Curing the Centurion's slave, and Peter's mother-in-law.

And the many sick and possessed who came to her house when they heard he was there.

Curing the woman with the hemorrhage.

Raising Jairus' daughter from the dead.

Altogether a good sampling of the many miracles Jesus performed.

Hundreds or perhaps thousands of cures and other miraculous signs.

Some, like the calming of the sea and the multiplication of the loaves,

Helped many all at once.

But most of Jesus' miracles helped a single individual who was suffering.

He cured them one by one, with special attention to each.

All these miracles demonstrate his supernatural power.

Power over illness, demons and death itself.

Power over the the sea and the strongest forces in nature.

Power that only God possesses.

And he didn't have to call on God, asking God to perform the supernatural deed.

He did it through his own power.

He himself had the power of God.

His miracles supported his claim that he was indeed one with the Father.

All these miracles also show Jesus' love for us and his commitment to saving us.

Sometimes he intervened solely from his own sense of love and mercy.

But often he said that he was moved by the faith of the person requesting his help.

He was clearly impressed and appreciative of that faith.

And often, as in today's Gospel passage, he laments our little faith.

One of his constant urgings to all of us is that we have faith in him.

That we believe what he told us.

That we believe the Good News that God loves us.

Believe that he, Jesus, is the Son of God and he came to save us.

Each of us, personally, one by one.

Believe that he will guide us and help us to do the Father's will.

He's given us his signs.

We see his saving.

We see his power.

We see his saving power.

So why don't we have stronger faith?

Why isn't living that faith the all-consuming top priority and activity of our lives?

We could all benefit from adopting that brief prayer made by a desperate father.

Asking Jesus to cure his son whose seizures threw him into the water and into the fire.

He began by saying, If you can do anything … please help us.

Jesus said, in effect, What do you mean, IF I can?!

The man's response can be our prayer too:

I do believe, help my unbelief.

Tuesday 13th Week Ordinary Time

Mt 8:23-27      Read this Scripture @usccb.org