Reflection - Power of Faith

A Homily Reflection with Fr. James Farfaglia, St. Helena of the True Cross Parish, Corpus Christi, Texas.

“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’, and it would obey you” (Luke 17: 5-6).

Faith is a gift that we receive at our Baptism. Faith does not contradict reason; rather it enlightens our reason. The gift of faith allows us to see the invisible in the visible world.

Faith allows us to see the loving presence of God in nature. It is the gift that allows us to see Jesus in our neighbour. Faith allows us to hear the voice of God through the Holy Bible. The gift of faith assures us that Jesus is present in the sacrifice.

It is true that the adversities of life can challenge our faith. Many times we seek instant solutions for our problems. Faith allows us to be calm and patient, since it is faith that allows us to trust. God does not have an email address. He is not as fast as a microwave oven. He does not work like instant oatmeal. God is different because He is eternal.

Of necessity, the gift of faith needs to be cultivated if it is to flourish. We must cultivate our faith through prayer, study, and a well disciplined spiritual life. Moreover, the best way to cultivate the gift of faith is through our daily encounter with our Eucharistic Lord. The Eucharist is the mystery of faith. At each Mass the priest announces, "Let us proclaim the mystery of faith" immediately following the Consecration.

The Eucharist must be the centre of our spiritual lives. Daily Mass, adoration, and frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament will ignite the fire of faith and provide us with the strength that we need to journey every day towards eternal life.

There is no surer pledge or dearer sign of this great hope in the new heavens and new earth, in which righteousness dwells, than the Eucharist. Every time this mystery is celebrated, the work of our redemption is carried on and we break the one bread that provides the medicine of immortality, the antidote for death, and the food that makes us live for ever in Jesus Christ."

It is important for Christian to remember that you are someone special. You were created to be a living, breathing image of God.

What do you have to do to be someone special? Only believe. By believing in God’s promises; believe in the unquestionable authority behind your right to claim his image. There is no more inspiring example of such faith than that of the patriarch Abraham.

God’s unbelievable promise that he would be the father of a great nation, Paul writes, ‘His faith did not leave him, and he did not doubt God’s promise; his faith filled him with power, and he gave praise to God. He was absolutely sure that God would be able to do what he had promised. Let us follow Abraham example.