Scripture:
Genesis 28:10-22a
Matthew 9:18-26
Reflection:
‘Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.’
And from that hour the woman was cured. -Matthew 9:22
I had lunch with a “doubting Thomas” (well, really Bill) the other day. We hadn’t seen each other for years and were catching up. At one point we were talking about faith in Jesus. When I suggested that by following Jesus, he could affect healing and cures, he balked. “Oh no! that’s my lord and savior’s work.”
As our discussion proceeded, he told me of an adventure he experienced after retiring. Bill had been successful in the financial world and retired when he was 65. Thinking his current assets could do much better in another venture, he took them all, as well as those of other family and friends, and invested in a new venture. As he told the story this all sounded very exciting until he got to the point where every $1.00 invested eventually turned out to be worth forth-one cents. Bill, didn’t stop there. He kept trying (believing) and collaborating with others in the field, till eventually his and his friends’ assets rebounded doing better than ever.
God, help my unbelief today and no matter how bleak and terrible my life looks, help me believe in you, in your love and care not only for me, but for all your creation. Help me believe further that working with and caring for my sister, as well as Mother Earth, will heal us all.
Dan O’Donnell is a Passionist Partner and a longtime friend of the Passionists. He lives in Chicago.