Courage, my heart

Sisters and brothers in Christ, Christ stands at the door of our hearts knocking. With faith, we respond to Christ and open the door and invite him into our hearts and dwell therein. With faith, we trust in God's plan and will for us, even when we do not see the "big picture", we have faith that God desires only good for us. With faith, in times of trials and tribulations, we are at peace and filled with supernatural joy because we have faith that God will take our sufferings and pain and transforms them into good and miraculous. With faith also comes the tremendous responsibility to share the Good News of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with others, that He is our light and our salvation because "out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see."

We read this in today's Gospel when Jesus healed the blind men. First, Christ asks them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” So, too, our Lord Jesus Christ asks us these questions. Do you believe in me? Do you believe that I only desire your good, for you to be the person that I lovingly created you to be? Do you believe and trust in my plan for you? Do you love me as I love you? The blind men respond, "Yes." What is our response to Jesus? Then Jesus adds, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” We often tell each other, "Have faith in yourself." What if we change that and say to each other, "Have faith in God who is working in you and through you"?

When tragedy strikes us in life - illness, death of beloved one, etc. - we have a choice to make. We can lose our faith and struggle trying to do things on our own? Or we can lean on our faith and overcome, knowing in our hearts that our Father in heaven has not and will never abandon us, that we are loved by Him. This is how we can put into practice what Saint Paul wrote, "Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). Jesus asks us, “Do you believe that I can do this?” May we have courage and be stouthearted and answer him, "My Lord and my God, I believe." 

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Gospel of the Day

As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out,

“Son of David, have pity on us!” 

When he entered the house,

the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them,

“Do you believe that I can do this?” 

“Yes, Lord,” they said to him. 

Then he touched their eyes and said,

“Let it be done for you according to your faith.” 

And their eyes were opened. 

Jesus warned them sternly,

“See that no one knows about this.” 

But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.