Great is your Faith!

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

August 4, 2021: Remembering St. John Maria Vianney

Numbers 13: 1-2,25, 14:1, 26-29, 34-35; Matthew 15: 21-28

Faithlessness or Faith – As you sow, so you reap! 

“As you have spoken I will do unto you!”-“As you wished it shall be unto you!” These two phrases, former from the first reading and the latter from the Gospel seem similar, though they are not! Considering the contexts, they are infact contrary to each other – one a reproach from the Lord and the other an approval. However, the message is same – FAITH. 

The first reading seems to be a rationalization on the part of Israel, as to why they had to sojourn forty long years in the deserts of Paran – a simple reason: lack of faith! The Lord could not walk them to the land of milk and honey, as promised, because they were stubborn and hard headed, never yielding to the guiding hand of God. 

The Gospel pictures a woman whose request has apparently no place on the 'to-do' list of Jesus that day! But the list had to be changed by all means. Logically as in another place we read, that due to lack of faith Jesus did not accomplish much signs and wonders, here Jesus could not but make that miracle happen because of the grandeur of the faith of that simple woman! 

Grand faith and simple woman, syncs well with the simple man and grand apostle that John Maria Vianney was! He was not a great scholar or a doctor of the Church, nor a Bishop or a cardinal, nor was he a great founder or a prolific writer. He was a simple, underrated priest, who was such a success in the eyes of the Lord, because he brought not just a village but great multitudes to faith! The secret: his faith was really great!  Like Jesus said today to the woman, he would have said to the saintly Cure d'Ars - My Son, Great is your faith!

How blessed it would be if Jesus were to look at you and me today and say, “My Son, My daughter, great is your faith!”

Note: Let us pray for all priests known to us, as we celebrate the feast of St. John Maria Vianney, the patron of all priests! May our priests be as simple as Vianney and as profound in faith as he was!