Gospel Eucharistic Reading for Sunday of Proper 9: Year B
“And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief.” (Mark 6: 5 and 6)
This is further evidence that our Lord Jesus uses the faith that God has implanted in us to cure us, to save us. Many times in the Gospel accounts we read where our Lord Jesus says to someone made well to “go, your faith has made you well;” or “healed you.” All we have to do is believe. The Risen Jesus of today will take it from there.
Faith is spiritual, and works with spiritual matters that impact our biological wellness. Believing a locked door is not locked will certainly not unlock the door. However, just believing in God, our Lord Jesus will improve your spiritual health, and by extension, your physical health. Jesus makes faith work. Believing will unlock death.
Questioning the credibility of a familiar source, like the people of Jesus’ home town, only raises doubt and weakens the presence of the faith. We must always focus on God, the Unknown, who shows up in whoever God chooses. We should always ask, “Is God in this.” We should not rule out someone because we think we know them. We don’t know God enough to say who God will use. And we can’t even say God won’t use you or me. If we are human, God can use us for the spiritual enhancement of the community in which we live. We probably don’t have to be human. God is everywhere, in all and with all. Just believe.
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray:
O Almighty God, who prayed all creation into being with the words, “Let there be,” and then from creation brought into being human kind, making us products of your prayers, strengthen the bond between You and us so that we might believe beyond any doubt, now and in our days to come; You who live, love and reign, forever and ever, Amen.
onewhoponders 