Homily: February 24, 2025, Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time (Faith)

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 “Everything is possible to one who has faith.”

There’s a story about a small town which endured a severe drought for many years. The whole town had not seen a drop of rain in years. Finally, in desperation, the townspeople asked their priest to lead a day of prayer for rain. On the appointed day, everyone gathered in the town square to pray. Hundreds of people came, but only one man brought an umbrella.

We pray and we plead with God, but do we have faith in our prayer? Or do we not have faith in God?

Jesus lamented in today’s Gospel text, “O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you?” 

We can feel Jesus’ frustration, disappointment, and sadness. His disciples could not cast out a demonic spirit because they lacked faith, they lacked prayer, they were not connected with God.

“He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”” So, the disciples did not pray, they did not call on the Lord’s name, they acted independently.

In the Gospel story, it wasn’t the disciples who showed faith, it was the father of the possessed boy. He believed Jesus could free his son, and so Jesus did.

This same Jesus is with us now, physically, sacramentally, and spiritually, in the Most Holy Eucharist. 

He wants to cast out all the demons in our life that separate us from God, would you allow Him to do that?

Do you believe what Jesus said, that “Everything is possible to one who has faith.”

Do we pray in Jesus’ name and believe that He will free us?

Let us stand firm in our faith and proclaim with confidence: “In the name of Jesus, evil has no place in my life.”

May our faith be strong, never waiver in times of trouble, and never fail in times of trial. To God be all glory. 

Amen.


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 In the first reading, it was during the time of exile in Babylon, when Daniel pleaded with God, saying, “But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness!” In the responsorial psalm, we prayed, “May your compassion quickly come to us.” And the gospel passage for today began with this verse: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Our God is merciful, compassionate and always forgiving! How do you feel about this? I feel totally blessed and thankful. Because if our God is not, I would be condemned forever for my sins! Pope Francis published a book in 2016 titled, “The Name of God is Mercy”, reminding us to trust and always turn to God even in our unworthiness. The world exists today because of our God is loving, compassionate and merciful. If we look around and examine within ourselves, sin is everywhere. In this country alone, legal abortions would have hit 30 million since the turn of the millennium, not counting the illegal ones. Humanity continues to commit s...
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