Tag Archives: Catholic

A little faith

Waldemar Flaig, Jesus mit den Jüngern im Sturm

Waldemar Flaig, 1892-1932
Jesus mit den Jüngern im Sturm
oil, by 1932
via Wikimedia Commons

But when [Peter] saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:30-31

Faith to walk on water. Faith to face the storm. Faith to battle the wind. Faith to walk toward God.

And when we begin to sink from fear, fatigue, stress, and anxiety, a little faith to cry out to Jesus to save us.

Inseparable

The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes Basilica di Sant' Apollinare Nuovo Ravenna ITALY 6th century

The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes
Basilica di Sant’ Apollinare Nuovo
Ravenna ITALY
6th century

When it was evening, the disciples approached [Jesus] and said, “This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” Matthew 14:15

Nothing can separate me from the love of God except my own refusal to love my neighbor as myself. Immigrants, refugees, the homeless, the ill, the elderly, those who don’t look like me or act like me or speak like me—we are all God’s precious children, worthy of love and respect and the best life has to offer.

Dismissing others is not the way of Jesus.

Searching

Pearl of Great Price

An etching by Jan Luyken illustrating Matthew 13:45-46 in the Bowyer Bible, Bolton, England
By Phillip Medhurst (Photo by Harry Kossuth) [FAL], via Wikimedia Commons

[Jesus said to his disciples,] “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.” Matthew 13:45-46

That which we long to find is what prompts us to search: God’s love deep in our hearts, the pearl that has no price because it is beyond our ability to value.

The finding is in the searching and the searching is in the finding. And so we give up selfishness and self-pity, greed and resentment, fear and prejudice—and we find Love.