Living faith in action: Think it, believe it and touch it!

Readings: 1^st: Hos 2:16-18.21-22; Ps: 145; Gos: Mt 9:18-26

This brief reflection was written by Fr. Njoku Canice Chukwuemeka, C.S.Sp. He is a Catholic Priest and a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans). He is a missionary in Puerto Rico, the island of enchantment. He is the Chancellor of the Dioceses of Fajardo-Humacao, Puerto Rico; the Parish Priest of Parroquia la Resurrección del Senor, Canovanas and the Major Superior of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), Circumscription of Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic. For more details and comments contact him at:  canice_c_njoku@yahoo.com, canicechukwuemeka@gmail.com.

Today, Monday of the fourteenth week of ordinary time, Mathew presents us two more miracles of Christ.

One thing common to these two miracles is that, the situation of both benefactors seemed so bleak, and was enshrouded in hopelessness.

For many, to think of resurrecting the girl already pronounced dead sounded simply insane, and a mere wishful thinking. It was like crying over spilt milk.

So, the scene of this miracle presents us two different forms of expressions. On one hand, we see those who scoffed, and doubted the possibility of a miracle. On the other hand, we see the family who waited in pain, but faithfully for a miracle.

Also, for the woman who had suffered hemorrhage for twelve years, her hope of healing was almost exhausted. That is, after crisscrossing the whole region, and possibly suffered much exploitation.

However, faith made the difference in both cases. In these miracles, we see two different expressions of faith: Communal, and individual (or personal).

The communal faith of the family of the girl, was the basis for her miracle. At that moment, she could neither help herself, nor express her faith in anything.

Her family did not give up. Instead, “they stood in the gap” (Ezekiel 22: 30) for her, and waited patiently for Christ to arrive. This reminds us of how our own faith as a community can be the bases for the miracle for one another.

On the other hand, the woman expressed a very personal faith in Christ. Hence, she did something remarkable known only to her, and to Christ.

She thought, believed, and touched. Most important, she conquered fear, shame and overcame the crowd (her own scoffers), in order to make a divine contact. She did this all alone, and accepted responsibility for expressing her faith.

Unlike, the case of the dead girl who could no longer help herself or express her faith, this woman recognized that, “once there is life, there is still hope.” She knew that she could still do something for herself, and she did it.

So, if you are still alive today, it means there is something you can still do for yourself.

Think it, believe it, move towards it! Touch the hem of that garment of salvation! That is what it means to have a living faith, and what faith in action means.

Peace be with you all!

Maranatha!