Today is the Memorial of St. Agatha. Gospel reading at Mass comes from Mark 5. A woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind Jesus in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured." And she was immediately healed.
I start to think about faith and prayer again. I see faith as a gift from God because I cannot in any way make my faith stronger by will, but I could trust in him more. It's clear that if I don't trust in God, I have no faith. Therefore, by trusting in God, I should receive faith from him.
I also believe that if I trust in God, he will show me how to pray in each situation. If I pray for a miracle and no miracle happens, it doesn't necessarily mean that my faith is weak ~ it could be that I am praying against God's wish.
Examples and lessons. (1) This woman in the Gospel really wanted to be healed and believed that Jesus could heal her, so she was healed. Her trust generated the strong faith the Lord placed in her. (2) When I catch an ordinary cold, I pray that I get well. I trust in the Lord, but he normally does not place a desire in me to want to be healed immediately and no miracle happens. (3) I've already shared the time my son was almost dying from a virus attack ~ I prayed for his recovery by his bedside without hesitation as if I was giving a command and he got well in a matter of days. Again, God spontaneously directed me ~ it's not that all of a sudden my faith increased. (4) Most of us probably are praying for some loved ones who no longer practice their faith. I believe that if we truly care and persist in praying for them, the Lord will have no choice but to answer our prayers. Again, let him direct us in how we pray.
In conclusion, I'll trust in God and he'll take care of my faith, and I'll pray as he directs.
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