GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 18TH FEBRUARY 2017
SATURDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
FIRST READING: Hebrews 11:1-7
PSALM: Psalm 145:2-5, 10-11
GOSPEL: Mark 9:2-13
THEME: LET YOUR FAITH COUNT
One of the popular humours within the circle of faith goes like this:
A man fell off a cliff, but managed to grab a tree limb on the way down. The following conversation ensued:
“Is anyone up there?”
“I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe me?”
“Yes, Lord, I believe. I really believe, but I can’t hang on much longer.”
“That’s all right, if you really believe you have nothing to worry about. I will save you. Just let go of the branch.”
A moment of pause, then: “Is anyone else up there?” (Bits & Pieces, june 24, 1993, p. 3).
Often we believe we have faith until faith makes a request that sounds treasonable to reason. Our First Reading for today defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). The text goes ahead and gives examples of people of faith, namely, Abel, Enoch and Noah. It makes a striking statement when it says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6).
What does it mean to have faith? The Gospel text for today gives us a simple answer. On the mount of transfiguration, a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him” (Mk. 9:7). Recall that in John 2:5, the mother of Jesus had also made a similar statement to the servants at the wedding at Cana, “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn. 2:5).
A man or woman of faith is not the one who is always in Church with two hands put together in a prayerful gesture but the one who takes the words of Christ seriously. A person of faith is a doer.
Sitting on the fence of religion and propounding ideas about faith does not make you a person of faith. Get unto the mission field and do the work Jesus is asking of you.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, may my actions and not just sweet talks show my faith in you. May I do whatever you tell me, even if my reason shudders at it. Amen.
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).