Igniting Our Faith
Read Matthew 17:14-20
Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."
-Matthew 17:20 (NRSV)
EARLY one afternoon my nine-year-old son asked me to cook hamburgers for dinner. I told him we could have charcoal-grilled hamburgers, and he was happy because he wanted to help light the charcoal. After 30 minutes, he was frustrated. He said, "Mom, I guess we won't be eating soon, and I'm hungry."
I told him, "Don't worry. All we need is to light a small piece of charcoal to get it going. It won't take long after that."
Lighting that small piece of charcoal reminded me of a spiritual retreat I had attended. I reflected on all the problems I'd been experiencing that had pulled me away from God, tested my faith, and stamped out the hope in my heart. The retreat was the spark I needed to ignite my faith and to confront the difficulties in my life. As a charcoal fire gets its start from a small piece of charcoal, our faith can be ignited by a small dose of love and the confidence that God will not abandon us.
Gabriela Marquez Gomez (Distrito Federal, Mexico)
Faithful God, grant that in our love for you we will find the spark that ignites our faith. As Jesus taught us, we pray, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."* Amen.
Grill hamburgers and invite your neighbors for a meal.
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Those who have lost their faith in God
*Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV).
