Saturday, May 1, 2021

Lack of Faith


The WORD today reminds me how important faith is.

In the gospels, a lot of times we see Jesus telling people that their faith has saved or cured them. Today, we see the opposite. He was not able to do a lot of miracles in his hometown because of their lack of faith.

Jesus went to his hometown, but instead of being proud that Jesus was from there, the people belittled him and took offense at him. They did not believe that someone from their own could really be God’s Child. He was a normal person, just like them. Pare pareho lang sila na taga doon, na doon lumaki. This lack of belief, this lack of faithwas the reason why Jesus did not do a lot of miracles. Yes, Jesus needs our faithHis love and power does not change depending on our faith, but we affect it. We affect his love and power over us. 

Our hardened hearts and our lack of faith limits God’s power over us.

God can only enter our lives if we allow him. God can only fill our hearts if we have space for him. God’s love and power is overflowing, but we cannot accept it if our hearts are closed and our lives are full of ourselves.

We are asked to look at ourselves and see what our heart says. Do we allow God to enter our lives? Do we have space for God? Is our faith strong, or are we like the people who do not trust in God? Do we humble ourselves and allow him to be God in our lives, or do we want him to conform to what we want? 

May we be inspired and challenged by this.

Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for another weekend.  Thank you for the gift of faith. Lord, sorry for the times I doubt and let the world take away my faith. I ask that you help me strengthen my faith. I know faith is such a powerful and important aspect of my life, and I ask that you help me develop it. Kahit maliit, kahit mala mustard seed, I know it is enough, that it is a good start. I am making space in my life and in my heart for you, Lord. Come into my life and fill me, so I can share you to others as well. Amen

Blessed Weekend!

In Christ,
-g-


May 01, 2021
Saint Joseph the Worker - Feast; St. Joseph the Worker

FIRST READING

God said:
“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.” 

God created man in his image;
in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. 

God blessed them, saying:
“Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.”
God also said:
“See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food; and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground, I give all the green plants for food.” And so it happened. God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. Evening came, and morning followed–the sixth day. 

Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed. Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing, God rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation. 

or: 



Brothers and sisters:
Over all these things put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one Body. And be thankful. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive from the Lord the due payment of the inheritance; be slaves of the Lord Christ.


RESPONSORIAL PSALM

R. Lord, give success to the work of our hands.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 

Before the mountains were begotten and the earth and the world were brought forth, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 

R. Lord, give success to the work of our hands.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 

You turn men back to dust, saying, “Return, O children of men.” For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night. 

R. Lord, give success to the work of our hands.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! 

R. Lord, give success to the work of our hands.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 

Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days. Let your work be seen by your servants and your glory by their children. 

R. Lord, give success to the work of our hands.
or:
R. Alleluia.


ALLELUIA

R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Blessed be the Lord day by day, God, our salvation, who bears our burdens. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


GOSPEL

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

No comments:

Post a Comment