Faith in Words

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/112816.cfm) reminds me that I should have faith in God's words. 

A lot of people lie. A lot, if not all. There are also a lot of people who cannot keep their words. They are unable to fulfill their promises in one way or another. Some have valid excuses, some lie or do not intend to keep their word right from the start. This is why people do not easily believe words. We are afraid that others cannot and will not keep their word. Good thing this does not apply to God. 

God keeps his word. Always. 

The bible says that God is not a man, that he should lie. God keeps his word always. No matter what the situation looks like, he keeps his word. His word can and will be done. This is why we should have faith in his words, like the centurion in the gospel. The centurion who had such strong faith in the mere words of Jesus. Strong, genuine faith that we repeat his words every mass - Lord. i am not worthy to have you enter my roof, but only say the word and my servant (soul) will be healed. This is how much he trusts God and his word. 

There are times we do not feel the same. When situations are tough, we do not believe that nothing is impossible for God. When our problems are overwhelming and there is seemingly no way of our situation improving, we forget that God has great plans for us. We sometimes let how we feel or how the world makes us feel dictate our faith in God. We forget that he created everything and has power over anything and everything. 

May we learn to have faith in God and his words, no matter what the situation or others make us feel. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another week. Thank you for the reminder to have faith in your words. Lord, sorry for the times I don't have faith in you. Sorry for the times I let the situation get the better of me. Sorry for letting my problems and how others make me feel make me doubt your love, your power, your word. Help me have faith in your words like the centurion. Help me believe in the power of your words, no matter what I may feel. Increase my faith in you. Amen. 

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

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November 28, 2016
Monday of the First Week in Advent
Lectionary: 175

Reading 1 Is 4:2-6

On that day,
The branch of the LORD will be luster and glory,
and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor
for the survivors of Israel.
He who remains in Zion
and he who is left in Jerusalem
Will be called holy:
every one marked down for life in Jerusalem.
When the LORD washes away
the filth of the daughters of Zion,
And purges Jerusalem’s blood from her midst
with a blast of searing judgment,
Then will the LORD create,
over the whole site of Mount Zion
and over her place of assembly,
A smoking cloud by day
and a light of flaming fire by night.
For over all, the LORD’s glory will be shelter and protection:
shade from the parching heat of day,
refuge and cover from storm and rain.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 122:1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD."
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love you prosper!
May peace be within your walls,
prosperity in your buildings.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Because of my relatives and friends
I will say, “Peace be within you!"
Because of the house of the LORD, our God,
I will pray for your good.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Alleluia See Ps 80:4

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come and save us, LORD our God;
let your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 8:5-11

When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
“Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.”
He said to him, “I will come and cure him.”
The centurion said in reply,
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes;
and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes;
and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
“Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven.”