Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 7th August

Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 7th August 2021

           I have always had a great belief in the power and beauty of prayer, whether it’s listening in silence to the breath of God and simply being conscious of his presence, or meditating on the word of God or the wonders of creation, or praying for people and situations, intercessory prayer. Then, of course, there is liturgical prayer, the Mass and other Sacraments and the Divine Office. The riches and variety of prayer are without measure or limits. Today’s Gospel passage from Matthew, (Mt 17: 14-29), in really about prayer, although that becomes apparent only at the end of the account. Jesus talks about faith, but it’s faith in the power of prayer. Let’s read the passage.

            “A man came up to Jesus and went down on his knees before him. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘take pity on my son: he is a lunatic and in a wretched state; he is always falling into the fire or into the water. I took him to your disciples and they were unable to cure him.’ ‘Faithless and perverse generation!’ Jesus said in reply ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.’ And when Jesus rebuked it the devil came out of the boy who was cured from that moment.

        Then the disciples came privately to Jesus. ‘Why were we unable to cast it out?’ they asked. He answered, ‘Because you have little faith. I tell you solemnly, if your faith were the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it would move; nothing would be impossible for you.’”

       Jesus cured many sick people in the course of his earthly ministry and the work of healing and forgiveness continued to be an intrinsic aspect of the Church’s life and outreach to those in need. What we notice immediately is the faith, as well as the desperation of the father, who earnestly implores Jesus to heal his poor son. He tells Jesus that his disciples were unable to cure the boy. The annoyance of Jesus is directed at his disciples and not at the sick lad or his father. Jesus has only to rebuke the devil and the boy is healed. The disciples don’t get off lightly. “You have little faith. If you had faith the size of a mustard seed…. nothing would be impossible for you.” Faith and prayer go hand in hand; there is no faith without prayer. The disciples were relying on their own power and not on the power of God. We act like that sometimes, do we not? We rely on ourselves rather than on God. Faith, and that means prayer, that can move mountains, that’s what we need today. Lord, give us that faith, that gift of prayer. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.