"Real" Faith

Mass Readings: March 3

First:	Isaiah 65:17-21
Resp:	Psalm 30:2,4-6,11-13
Gospel:	John 4:43-54

John 4:48  So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." 

We believe, but do we really believe.  The man believed, or hoped that Jesus could save his son, but in his mind Jesus would have to come to Capernaum to do it.  Remember Martha thought that Jesus was too late to save Lazarus when he came and Lazarus had been dead 4 days.  Remember Naaman who thought he needed special water, or some miraculous sign to be healed.  Contrast these with the centurion in Matthew 8:8.  When Jesus offered to come and heal his servant the man said  "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. "  Jesus replied by saying that in all of Israel he had not seen such faith.

We want to believe when we need a miracle, and then we want to see a "real" miracle.  But "real" faith calls us to believe even when we don't see anything.  To trust in the love and the power of God so completely that we don't need to see proof.

Father, thank you for the blessings and provisions of life that I do not even deserve. Help my, by your Holy Spirit, to trust in your awesome love and power, even when I do not see any signs and wonders.

Amen