Friday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
When Jesus is scoffed at and rejected by the people of His native place, He did not work great miracles there. St. Matthew writes that this was because of the people’s lack of faith. Was Jesus powerless because of people’s faithlessness? Could He not have overwhelmed them with great deeds like He did in other places – deeds which helped move the heart and mind to faith in the presence of the Kingdom of God?
Undoubtedly, Jesus could have – but He chose not to do so. He desires some faith, some openness, some readiness to accept more grace. Sometimes in our own lives, we may wait for unmistakable signs from God. We want to have God’s will in writing, delivered to our doorstep. We desire perfect certainty as a remedy for the persistent discomfort of faith and trust. Yet if we are not careful, will we not be like those people in His native place? Let us pray with that beautiful phrase: “Lord, I believe – Help my unbelief.”