Our Faith matters

 Hos. 2:16.17-18.21-22, Mt. 9:18-26. Compassion, love and healing are what God offers us, if we turn to God and seek a trusting relationship with Him. In today’s first reading, God’s love and compassion for Israel is compared to a loving husband who is willing to forgive and renew a relationship broken by an unfaithful wife. The repeated infidelities of Hosea’s wife triggered an emotional explosion in the prophet’s heart. Not only has his wife been unfaithful, but he is not even sure of the paternity of two of the three children. Only the first, a son, was really born to him (Hos. 1:6.8). Yet, he finds it in his heart to forgive his straying wife, to mirror the compassion of God towards his sinful people.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus shows compassion and a desire to heal a “dead” girl and a woman suffering from hemorrhages. Jesus took the risk of being considered religiously unclean, thereby barred from entering the place of worship in line with the stipulations of Levitical law; He let Himself be touched by a woman with a flow of blood and took a dead child by the hand (Cf. Lev. 15:19-33, 21:1). Not only were these two people different in personality and social status, but also different in their approach to meet the Lord. While the official came to Jesus publicly, bowing low in front of Him, the woman secretly touched the fringe of Jesus’ cloak, not wanting to be noticed. In spite of their different standing within the community and approaches to Jesus, what they had in common was their great faith. What matter to the Lord is not our standing in the community or how we approach Him, how we pray, but the strength of our faith in Him, the quality of our relationship with Him. Just as the Lord lured the people of Israel into the wilderness to speak to their heart, He speaks to the heart of all who approach Him and He always responds to our plea for help. The same love, compassion and healing is offered to us as we continue to turn to the Lord.

May the Lord strengthen us in our journey of faith, so that we may continue to persevere in faith despite all odds! Amen!! Good morning and have a fruitful week!!!