ST JOHN BOSCO, P. (Memorial) White

John Bosco was ordained in 1841. He worked with youth, finding places where they could meet, play and pray. He founded the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) in 1859, priests who work with and educate boys under the protection of Our Lady Help of Christians, and Saint Francis de Sales. He was the first to adopt the preventive method rather than punishment. He wrote: “As far as possible avoid punishing . . . try to gain love before inspiring fear.” He died in 1888 leaving 250 houses of the Salesian Society in all parts of the world, containing 130,000 children.

First Reading: Heb 12:1-4; Psalm: 22 R. v. 27b; Gospel: Mk 5:21-43

FAITH CONQUERS DOUBT

BY FR VALENTINE NNAMDI EGBUONU, MSP

There was something about the personality of this woman who suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years. Reading of her story, there is no doubt she was a woman with unrelenting personality. She had suffered from this sickness for twelve years; and in that twelve years, she never stopped trying to regain her health. Her unrelenting effort to get better made her passed through the hands of several doctors yet she got worse trying. The worst of it all was that this sickness impoverished her making her unable to continue her treatment. But the inspiring thing was that she never gave up notwithstanding.

When she heard the report about Jesus, she rose up again and went in search of healing. This revealed that this woman did not resign to fate despite going penniless trying to get better. Probably as she went in search of Jesus some doubts lingered within her as to whether her condition would change this time around since she had been trying and got worse instead of improving. But when she came behind Jesus amidst the crowd, she said to herself, “If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well.” This faith prayer made her well again.

What God needs from us is just some little show of faith with a positive mindset. But we must also understand that faith is not always the complete absence of doubt. That we nurse some speck of doubt when we pray doesn’t mean we are faithless. It means we are human. Because sometimes we do not wish to doubt but the experiences of life can subject us to doubting. So God understands when we doubt a little due to our frail nature. However, what God wants from us is some little faith in him regardless. That little faith can change everything. It can overpower our doubts. If we had faith as small as a mustard seed, the impossible will happen. (Mt 17:20).

PRAYER FOR THE DAY

Lord Jesus, increase our faith. Amen.