Fr. Gerald Musa’s Homily for Thursday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle II
Theme: Bold, Audacious Faith
By: Fr. Gerald M. Musa
Homily for Thursday February 10 2022
“The most beautiful act of faith is the one made in darkness, in sacrifice, and with extreme effort,” says St. Padre Pio. The most difficult time to pray and completely trust in God is in dark situations in life, moments of distress and pain. A mother whose daughter was possessed by unclean spirit came in faith to Jesus to beg for help. Jesus tested the faith of the woman when he ignored her by throwing negative and humiliating words at her, but her faith countered those words with a good sense of humour. She responded to humiliation with honest humility. All she wanted was her daughter to be liberated from evil and she knew only Jesus could save her daughter.
She gives us a perfect example of persistence in prayer. She is a symbol of a positive spirit, dogged determination and persistent prayer. She was unstoppable in her search for a solution. At the end, Jesus was so impressed with her faith that he said to her, “Woman, great is your faith.” What are the mountains that confront us and who and what are the forces that stand on our way to happiness? There is nothing too big that we cannot ask from the Lord. We can say to him, give me that mountain, and if we ask that in faith and confidence, he will give it to us. Do we come to Jesus with a persistent, expectant, bold, and audacious faith?
Mark 7:24-30; Thursday, 5th Week