Faith Daily | 4 July 2022

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p 558

O God,

you have prepared for those who love you

such good things as pass our understanding:

pour into our hearts such love toward you,

that, loving you above all things,

we may obtain your promises

which exceed all that we can desire;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

GOSPEL for the Day: Matthew 9: 18-26

18While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. 20Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, 21for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” 22Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26And the report of this spread throughout that district.

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Kathy Allen

It will take a miracle – for the car to start; to catch our flight; to find a car park. What was once wonderous has been reduced to a common expression – usually of longing or frustration. Even though we have secularised the concept, there is still that notion of the extraordinary about events that we simply cannot explain. The secular view is that it is ‘supernatural’ event or phenomena. These verses, however, remind us of the true meaning of miracles.

Without questioning the beliefs or intentions of the father, Jesus goes to his house, the house of a synagogue leader, and touches the man’s daughter thereby raising her from the dead. An ill woman creeps towards Jesus and touches the hem of His garment. Jesus turns towards her and the woman is healed. Some might suggest that desperation was the driver in both instances. Honestly, it if didn’t matter to Jesus, then it shouldn’t matter to us what motivated the father and the ill woman; both turned to Jesus and were restored and renewed.

If we have faith in the presence of Jesus in our lives, we can leave behind the mistakes of the past. If we have faith, we can practice compassion with a loving heart. It is not what we can do, but what Christ can do though us when we have faith in him. A wonderous miracle.

FINAL PRAYER Lyrics “Miracles” by Kyle Smith, Hank Bentley, Sean Curran, Lauren Smith Vertical Workshop

You’re the God of the impossible

You can move any mountain

There’s nothing too hard for You

You’re a miracle worker, oh

I believe in Your name miracles will happen

I believe in Your name miracles will happen

I believe in Your name miracles will happen

I believe in Your name miracles will happen

Yes, come on, call His name tonight

He is able, to do far more than we ask or imagine

I believe

Amen.