Lk. 17:5-10
Do you believe that faith can make impossible – possible?
We celebrated the feast of one of the most celebrated saints of the Catholic Church: St. Theresa of Child Jesus on the first of October. She lived only 24 years. However, she left behind a legacy that would influence generations for centuries. Her autobiography ‘The Story of a Soul,’ a spiritual classic, portrays the childlike faith of Therese in Jesus. She had a great passion for praying for people especially the conversion of the hard-hearted sinners. It is said that before entering the cloister, at the age of fifteen, she came across the story of Henri Pranzini through the newspaper. He was an unrepentant killer, condemned for the guillotine. Nevertheless, Therese started to pray for his conversion. It was too late. There was no sign of conversion in him even on the previous day of his execution…
The gift of faith always makes the impossible possible. Jesus says: “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, Be uprooted and be planted in the sea and it would obey you.” These words of Jesus invite us to reflect on the supernatural dimension of our faith journey. It conveys something that is naturally impossible. We could think about the tree growing in the sea only using our imagination. However, Jesus says that when you command with faith it will be uprooted and planted in the sea. Jesus teaches us that our faith makes the impossible, possible, provided we have faith. When Jesus tells his disciples ‘if you have faith the size of a mustard seed,’ our vision of faith should not be confined to the size of the mustard seed. The size of the mustard seed is a symbolism that tells us that it is relatively the smallest of all seeds; He invites us to reflect on the unassuming results it produces. Jesus uses the same analogy of the mustard seed to speak about the kingdom of God. When we are deeply rooted in the person of Christ, our faith produces results beyond our imagination. Yes, miracles are always possible.
The second part of the gospel instructs us about the attitude, a disciple of Christ should inculcate in his faith journey. When our faith journey becomes a blessing to others there is a possibility that we can feed our pride and slowly forget the source of all these graces. Our life is a mission. This mission is a gift from God. God, in His infinite mercy, chose us as his instruments for this mission. The greatest danger that awaits a disciple is the boastful thinking that – ‘It is I who fulfilled this mission.’ Jesus says: “apart from me you can do nothing.” (Jn.15:5) There is a possibility that we may lose sight of God and use the mission for our popularity and personal gain. Sometimes, the person may not even be aware of these tendencies creeping into his/her life. This decline happens when one doesn’t find time to sit at the feet of the Master and listen to him. It is a saddening reality that some of us are carried away by the ‘business’ of our mission. ‘We have chosen God and not his work.’ Let us fulfill the mission entrusted to us for the greater glory of God and seek his grace to grow in faith that empowers us with the inner strength to face the mountainous difficulties of our life.
… The next day, all the newspapers came up with an interesting piece of news. ‘As Pranzini was approaching the scaffold, just before the last few moments of his life, he asked for a crucifix and kissed the crucifix thrice before being guillotined’… That piece of news was meant for Therese, who gave a new spiritual birth for Pranzini, carrying him in her heart, and nurturing him with her unceasing prayers and delivered him to the merciful hands of Jesus… “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Lk. 23:43)…Yes, faith works miracles…even today.