Friday, August 11, 2017
SATURDAY, 18th Week in Ordinary Time
August 12, 2017 – SATURDAY, 18th Week in Ordinary Time
St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Widow and Religious Founder
Green
Dt 6: 4- 13 / Mt 17: 14 - 20
Born in France, St. Jane Frances de Chantal (1572- 1641) founded the Order of the Visitation (1610) under the guidance of St. Francis de Sales (1567- 1622).
FROM THE FIRST READING: Dt 6: 4- 7
Listen, Israel: Yahweh, our God, is One Yahweh. And you shall love Yahweh, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength. Engrave into your hearts the commandments that I pass on to you today. Repeat them over and over to your children, speak of them when you are at home and when you travel, when you lie down and when you rise.
GOSPEL READING: Mt 17: 14- 20
When they met the people, a man approached Jesus, knelt before him and said, "Sir, have pity on my son who is an epileptic and is in a wretched state. He has often fallen into the fire and at other times into the water. I brought him to your disciples but they could not heal him."
Jesus replied, "You, faithless and evil people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me." And Jesus commanded the evil spirit to leave the boy, and the boy was immediately healed.
The disciples then gathered around Jesus and asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive out the spirit?" Jesus said to them, "Because you have little faith. I say to you, if only you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could tell that mountain to move from here to there, and the mountain would obey. Nothing would be impossible for you."
REFLECTION
An aspirant to religious life once shared his struggles with his faith with his mentor. The aspirant said, "How can I hold on to God when I am filled with uncertainties and cannot see his hand? " The mentor replied, "That is precisely what faith is. Faith is consciously choosing to hold on to God even if you do not see his hand, especially in the midst of uncertainties."
In the first reading Moses professes Israel's firm belief in the one YahwehGod.
We see in today's Gospel reading a man who faithfully entrusted his epileptic son to Jesus. His faith and surrender led to his son's cure. Despite the doubts and uncertainties in their life, the man chose to believe in the kindness and healing power of Jesus.
We are invited to continuosly deepen our faith by holding on to Jesus, especially when troubled and in doubt. Though holding on is easier said than done, saints like today's St. Jane Frances de Chantal held on to Jesus amidst trials and adversities.
May God give us the grace to recognize him and hold on to his hand even when doubt makes it easier to let go.
WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:
BIRTHDAY
FELISA SY KEH
FR. GUY PETER V. GUIBELONDO SJ
RENATO (TATO) REYES
IN MEMORIAM (†)
SERGIO LL NARANJILLA
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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# posted by F O O D F O R T H O U G H T @ 6:48 AM 
