In Hebrews Chapter 11 we read: To have faith is to be
sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see.
But what does that really mean? What is it like to have
faith, and not only to believe in a living God, Creator of all and everything,
but also to be certain in that belief? Without any proof, or evidence
whatsoever. It’s as if to have faith is to believe when your common
sense tells you not to. Often Jesus said to people He has healed: Your faith has
healed you. Your faith has saved you. He taught that if we had faith as small as a mustard seed
we could perform miracles.
We read in Mark 9:24 that when a father asked Jesus to
heal his son, he said: I believe, Lord; help my unbelief. Jesus took pity on
him and realised that the man had some faith, perhaps not enough, but at least
he had some; so Jesus healed the man’s son. This leads us to ask: Is faith enough? We may have faith, to varying degrees, depending on who
we are. But is this enough? After all, even the devil has faith. He believes in God
all-right. He even tried to tempt Jesus often enough. This proves that he has
faith, and believes in God. Perhaps more than we do.
So, if faith is not enough; what is missing in our
relationship with God? Trust. Let us consider trust for a moment. A little child does
not question whether his parents care for him or not. It is intrinsically part
of his nature to take it for granted that his parents love him and will take
care of him. When he asks them for bread they will not give him a stone, and
when he asks for fish they will not give him a serpent. The child trusts his parents and will continue to do so
as he grows up; until one day someone may betray that trust and then he’ll
become more wary of those around him. So how about us? Is our faith in God matched with an
unshakeable trust that He cares for us, and no matter what happens, no matter
how bad things are in our lives, He is there, beside us, all the time caring
for us and ready to see us through whatever crisis we face. Can you imagine the amount of self-control and
concentration of thought we should have to believe, really believe, that not
matter what happens, we trust that God loves us and cares for us enough to
protect us from all evil? Such level of trust may well be beyond what many of us
can achieve; but it should not stop us from trying. Through gritted teeth even.
We should pray, over and again, that we trust God that He will see us through
this dark period in our lives. Faith, no matter how great or small, as much as half a
mustard seed even, may not be enough. It needs to be accompanied by an
unfailing trust that our loving God will never ever let us down. It is no point having faith in a Master who walks on
water if we do not trust Him enough to follow Him.
Today's readings invite us to reflect on two powerful images: a linen
loincloth in the first reading and a mustard seed and yeast in the
Gospel. At first glance, they seem unrelated,
but together they reveal God's desire for a close relationship with us and the
transformative power of His Kingdom.
In the first reading, God instructs Jeremiah to buy a linen loincloth
and wear it close to his body. Later,
God tells him to hide it in a rocky crevice near the Euphrates. After some time, Jeremiah retrieves it, only
to find that it has become ruined and useless.
God explains the meaning of this symbolic act. Just as the loincloth was meant to cling
closely to Jeremiah, so God had chosen Israel to cling closely to Him - to be
His people, bringing Him praise, honour, and glory. But they refused to listen. They followed their own desires, worshipped
false gods, and drifted away from the Lord. As a result, they became spiritually "ruined,"
not because God abandoned them, but because they abandoned the One who gave
them life and purpose.
This
reading speaks just as clearly to us today. We, too, are created to
remain close to God. Prayer, the sacraments, Scripture, and acts of
charity keep us united with Him. When we
distance ourselves from God through sin, indifference, or excessive
attachment
to worldly things, we lose the joy and fruitfulness that come from
living in
His presence.
The Gospel presents a different picture. Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a tiny
mustard seed that grows into a large tree, and to a small amount of yeast that
leavens a large batch of dough.
The message is one of hope. God's
Kingdom often begins in ways that seem insignificant. A simple prayer, a kind word, a hidden act of
generosity, a quiet moment of forgiveness - these may appear small, but in
God's hands they become seeds of transformation. Like yeast hidden in flour, God's grace works
silently from within, changing hearts before changing the world.
There is an important connection between the two readings. Jeremiah
warns us not to become disconnected from God, while Jesus assures us that when
we remain united with Him, even the smallest acts of faith can bear
extraordinary fruit.
Many people become discouraged because they do not see immediate results
from their efforts to live the Gospel. Parents
pray for children who have drifted from the faith. Teachers wonder whether they are making a
difference. Parish volunteers may feel
unnoticed. Yet Jesus reminds us that God
delights in working through what is small and hidden. We are called not to measure success by
visible results but by faithful perseverance.
Today, let us ask ourselves:
Am I staying close to the Lord, or have
I slowly drifted away?
What small seed of faith is God asking
me to plant today?
How can I allow God's grace to work
within me like yeast, transforming my heart from the inside out?
May we remain close to Christ each day, trusting that He can take our
small acts of love and make them instruments of His Kingdom. Amen.
Our Sunday gospels just now are from
the part of Saint Matthew's Gospel which is known as the “Parables of the
Kingdom”. We herd rather long parables in the previous two weeks, but in
contrast today there are two very short ones, that of the “Pearl of Great
Price” and that of the “Dragnet”. I intend to concentrate on the first of
these, because although a very short story, it can draw us into the very depths
of our Christian Faith.
Jesus uses the image of the “Pearl of Great Price” to illustrate the value
and nature of the Kingdom of Heaven. I
find this image both evocative and challenging. Now I invite you to spend just a few moments, delving
into the meaning of that “Pearl of Great Price”, and seeing how this little
story can challenge, inspire, and shape our faith journey. The Pearl, precious
and matchless, signifies not only the Kingdom itself but also our personal faith
relationship with our Blessed Lord - the heart of all true discipleship.
The Lord says: “Again, the kingdom of
heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of
great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew
13:45–46).
Perhaps at first glance, this is a simple tale
of trade and discovery, but its depths are profound. The merchant represents each
believer, who seeks something of true worth. Upon discovering the Pearl, he
recognises that it is truly beyond price, cannot be equalled by anything
else in the world, and so worth surrendering everything for its sake.
The parable, however is not just
about material sacrifice but about a radical reorientation of one’s life
towards God. It symbolises not only the Kingdom of Heaven, but even more
importantly Our Lord Himself. To possess the pearl is to know and love Jesus Christ,
to live in His grace, and to enter into the fullness of communion with God.
The merchant’s quest mirrors the
journey of faith. Faith is not static but dynamic. It is a pilgrimage, a
seeking after God, often through uncertainty, questioning and challenge. The
Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that faith is a gift, yet it also
demands a response: “Faith is first of all a personal adherence of man to God.
By ‘faith’ we completely submit our intellect and our will to God.” (CCC 143).
The search for the pearl is the
search for meaning, truth, and ultimately for God. Many are content with lesser
pearls—comfort, status, achievement—but faith urges us to seek the one true
Pearl, Christ, who alone satisfies the deepest longings of the human heart.
One of my favourite hymns is “As the
deer pants for the water”, especially the second verse :
“I want you more than gold or silver,
only you can satisfy.
You alone are the real joy giver and
the apple of my eye.”
It is only through faith that we come to
recognise the value of the Pearl; without faith, its beauty and significance
remain hidden.
The merchant’s willingness to sell
“all that he had” is a profound image of surrender. In our richtreasury of spirituality, faith often
involves letting go of attachments and placing God at the centre. “Giving all
in order to possess All” is a spiritual paradox rooted in letting go of ego,
material attachments and self-sufficiency in order to gain a deeperpurpose and truth, what we would call, “a
state of grace”. It is only by completely surrendering what we cling to that we
open ourselves up to receiving true abundance of life . This echoes our Lord’s own
call to discipleship:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny
himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24).
Gaining the Pearl of Great Price
means giving the Kingdom first place, with no exceptions. It is a call to
radical trust and obedience. For some, this may mean literal renunciation, as
with religious life or missionary work; for most, it means daily choices to
live for Christ, to love others, and to grow in holiness. The merchant’s action
is not forced upon him, but entirely voluntary; the discovery of the pearl
fills him with joy, making the sacrifice not burdensome but liberating.
Catholic faith is relational. The
Pearl of Great Price is not an abstract treasure but a person: Jesus Christ.
Faith is the encounter with Him, inviting us into personal friendship and
communion. The sacraments, especially the Eucharist, are ways in which we
encounter the living Christ, the Pearl made present and accessible.
Faith is not just relational, but transforming.
St. Paul wrote, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8). To have the Pearl is to know
Christ, to love Him, and to allow Him to shape every aspect of our lives. The
joy of the merchant reflects the joy of the Christian who finds Christ, a joy
that is deeper than any earthly pleasure.
True faith is also radical , challenging
conventional notions of value. The world prizes wealth, power, and security;
the Kingdom values humility, mercy, and self-giving love. To have the Pearl of
Great Price means embracing values that may seem foolish or impractical to
others. It is a counter-cultural witness, a sign that true happiness is found
not in possessions but in relationship with God.
This is especially relevant in
contemporary society, where faith is so often confronted with incomprehension,
suspicion and even outright hostility. In the face of this, we are called to
bear witness to the value of the Pearl, living lives that point to Christ and
His Kingdom. This witness may involve suffering, misunderstanding, or
persecution, but it is sustained by the hope and joy of the Gospel.
Faith, let us remember, is not only
personal but also communal. The Church, as the Body of Christ, is the context
in which the Pearl is found, cherished, and shared. We Catholics are called to
seek the Pearl together, supporting each other in faith, and sharing the
treasure of Christ with the world.
Through prayer, liturgy, and service,
the Church helps believers to recognise and value the Pearl. The saints are
examples of those who gave everything for Christ, inspiring us to follow their
example. The Church’s teaching and tradition guide us in discerning what is
truly valuable and in responding to the call of Christ
To seek that “Pearl of Great Price”
is to recognise Christ as the ultimate treasure, to seek Him with all our
heart, and to surrender everything for His sake. It is to live with joy, hope,
and courage, knowing that the Kingdom of Heaven is worth every sacrifice. The parable
invites us to examine our own values, to ask what we are willing to give for
the sake of Christ, and to trust that in Him we find life in abundance.
Finally, we are called to renew our
faith daily, to seek the Pearl, and to share its beauty with others. May we,
like the merchant, recognise the surpassing worth of Christ and respond with
generous, joyful hearts. The Pearl of Great Price is offered to all; may we
have the faith to seek, find, and cherish it, now and always.
The Sermon on the Mount is greatly revered for it contains many of
the most memorable sayings of Jesus. It begins with the Beatitudes,
contains the Lord’s Prayer, and is filled with beautiful expressions of
God’s love and care. But it ends with a stern and troubling warning.
The last section of the famous sermon begins, “Not everyone who says to
me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.” What a disturbing
thought!
Sometimes goodness is thought of as simply the absence of evil. Yes,
it is good to refrain from doing evil. A child may be called “good”
simply because the child is docile and quiet, making no demands on
others. Defining goodness so passively, however, misses the meaning of
goodness. There is an expression, “Goodness spreads itself.” In other
words it involves moral and ethical thinking and doing. It involves
attitudes and actions that are unselfish and seek the welfare of
others. Goodness in an individual person is sometimes defined as
wholeness and integrity.
The goodness of Jesus was not merely in the absence of evil, nor is
it seen primarily in His keeping of the law. His goodness came from
within, from His heart and mind, and it became the spiritual energy and
divine purpose with which He lived His daily life. He not only did
good, He was good. This is where Jesus differed from the religion of
the scribes and Pharisees. Their religion was only external and did not
issue from the heart and mind. This made it superficial. Jesus’
goodness was in His integrity and consistency. There was no conflict
between what He believed and how He lived.
Jesus’ first followers called him “Lord,” as His followers have done
ever since. The plain meaning of the word “lord” is to have power and
authority over others. A Lord Chancellor, for example, may have been
given the title by a majority of those over whom he rules. The
disciples of Jesus, as individuals, chose to make Him their Lord. They
did so because of their overwhelming experience of Him as deserving of
that role. Consider the enormous difference between someone demanding
to be your Lord and Master, and someone proving worthy to be granted
such a role in your life.
In the first century, people came to Jesus for what they could get
from Him. Some followed Him because they hated living under Roman rule
and they wanted Jesus to liberate them. Some followed Him because they
were desperately ill. Others, like the Apostles, followed Him because
they believed He was God and accepted Him as their Lord and Master.
People called Jesus “Lord” for all kinds of reasons, only as long as He
could solve all their problems. Sadly, all things considered, Jesus was
a huge disappointment in Palestine. He did not heal everybody. He did
not put food on everybody’s table. He did not destroy the stifling
Roman presence in Palestine. He did not even live up to the
expectations of some of His followers. This is why so many forsook Him
in the end.
Many people call Jesus “Lord.” But is He really their Lord? What
makes Him their Lord? Jesus makes it abundantly clear to whom He is a
Lord when He said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will
enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My
Father in heaven.”
If we follow Jesus simply for the reason of what He can do for us
then we should not be surprised when concerns such as the “cost of
discipleship” and “taking up our crosses” fade into the background.
How can we know whether our faith and love in Christ is true or
false? Is it a matter of going public with our faith - talking about it
and putting it on bumper stickers? Many people do these things for
whom Christ is not actually Lord. Jesus says the supreme evidence of
genuine faith is doing the will of God. Doing God’s will is loving Him
with your whole being and loving your neighbour as yourself. This is it
in its entirety. We must do the will of God. If we aren’t living it,
we don’t really believe it.
Lord Jesus, may we be like You, spreading goodness wherever we go and
doing the will of our Father in Heaven. Only then will we have entry
into Your kingdom.
And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone.She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased.And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!”But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.”And
when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and
falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why
she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” Luke 8:43-48
When things go wrong in our lives and we pray to God to help us, or help someone we love, what exactly is our motivation? Do we truly believe that there is "Someone" there listening to us and able, and willing, to help us? Or do we pray as a last resource action, or a "just in case" activity to tick another thing on our list?
The woman in the passage we've just read had tried many things to get healed. She had been to this doctor, and the next, this expert physician and the other; she had spent all her money on consultations and medicines, but was still not healed. She had been in this condition for twelve years and it seemed she was getting worse.
So she decided to turn to Jesus for help.
Let us look at her motivation. Did she go to Jesus as yet another thing to do? Just as if she was seeing another doctor? Just to tick another item on her "to do" list?
Or did she really believe that Jesus could heal her?
Note that in fact she did not go and ask Jesus for help. She was so sure of His powers as the Son of God that she decided that by just touching the fringe of His garment will be enough to heal her. This time her motivation was different. She did not go and see yet another "doctor"; she was sure she will be healed. And Jesus rewarded her by saying "your faith has made you well".
Is our faith just as strong when we pray to God?
What if our faith is weak and faltering?
Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And
wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth,
gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that
they should cast it out, but they could not.”
He answered him and said, “Ofaithlessgeneration, how long shall I be with you? How long shall Ibear with you? Bring him to Me.”Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.
So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”
And he said, “From childhood. And
often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to
destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help
us.”
Jesus said to him, “Ifyou can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
Jesus had pity on the father and healed his son.
Notice that in this case, perhaps like us sometimes, the father had a little faith but was not so sure that Jesus would help him. He probably believed in Christ's power; maybe he had witnessed His other miracles, but he was not certain that Jesus would help.
But at least he was honest in his request and his reply: "If You can ..." and "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" Mark 9:14-29
I
think everyone has “those” Moments. Sometimes they come up at 4:00 on
any given Tuesday when we least expect them, when we wonder, “Am I going
to make it?” Not just make it through a health challenge .. and that is
immense. Not just through a troubling incident in a relationship …and
that is heartache. Not just through a financial challenge .. and that
can feel desperate .. But make it as a spiritual being, and come
through, into our own. That sense of being OK with God and OK with
ourselves.
I don’t know how we get through the things we get
through. When I look back at my own life experience there were times I
got through things that right now I don’t know how I did it.
Mary
Kay Ash, who founded a tremendous empire, said, “If you think you can,
you can. And if you think you can’t, you’re right.” It is a matter of
personal decision, believing that. Don’t be discouraged if some people ~
even people who say they love you ~ say that you’re not going to make
it, because they don’t know.
For some crazy reason, you begin to realize that you’re going to make it; you must
make it. Maybe, the tension of getting through difficulties helped
bring you to the point of realizing there’s got to be more. It is a
decision point. It means that we have got to step out on faith when it
may not look like we have anything to stand on.
I love the story
of Peter, who steps out on the water, and for a few steps he’s going all
right – then he looks down. He sees the storm and the waves and starts
to sink. He cries out, “Help me, I’m sinking!” Do you know what that’s like? I do.
We
know that immediately, Jesus reached for his hand and pulled him up.
Well, this is what I love. When I think I’m out of faith and out of
ideas, out of time, out of possibilities and out of dreams that moment
arrives when a hand reaches out for me. I hear, “You’re going to make
it. In fact, you have made it. Let me guide you.”
How does it
come to us? I don’t know. We have to remember that we’re not alone. I
think that’s a big part of it.Like that senior spirit who says to the
seaman climbing to crow’s nest for the very first time, “Don’t look
down. You can make it.”
The whole Universe is pulling for us we when let it.
Dear friends, here's my reflection for the fifth Sunday of
the year, 2026, and I'm meditating this morning a little on just one phrase
from the gospel, “you are the salt of the earth”. Now it's said that the
eminent Victorian physicist Michael Faraday, when lecturing at the Royal
Institution, used to begin by saying, gentlemen, first of all, I will tell you
what I'm going to do, then I shall do it, and then I shall tell you what I've
just done. This technique is still recommended to teachers and preachers.
If you say the same thing slightly differently three times,
the average human listener has more chance of remembering what you've said. One
of my favourite icons is that of Christ the Teacher. Jesus was the best of
teachers and preachers, so we need hardly be surprised to find Him in Matthew's
fifth chapter employing exactly the same technique in his great Sermon on the
Mount, where first of all he announces the values of God's Kingdom in the
Beatitudes, then tells us what living those values will make us, salt of the
earth and light of the world.
He then finishes with more detailed and practical examples of
how we live the Kingdom's values, transforming both the world and ourselves
too. But for today, we just concentrate on one of those two powerful images,
salt.
Last year I was called back to the local surgery after a
blood test because the level of sodium in my blood was far too low.
I was told to go away for a fortnight and eat lots of salty
things like peanuts and crisps and all the things you shouldn't really be
eating. I did as I was told and two weeks later the sodium was back to an
acceptable level. These days salt is on the food fanatics blacklist, but eating
too little is as dangerous as too much.
Salt is necessary for life, which explains why it was often
used as currency in past years. Roman soldiers were often paid in salarium,
their word for salt, from which we derive the word salary.
Seventy years ago when I was a child in rural Lincolnshire,
few people had a fridge at home, let alone a deep freeze.
Meat and vegetables such as runner beans were preserved in
salt. I well remember the taste of home-cured meat and salty beans. My sodium
levels must have been off the clock back then.
Salt both flavours and preserves. When Jesus calls us salt
of the earth, He is telling us that lived Kingdom values enhance the quality of
human life, both our own and that of those around us. Kingdom values will
preserve us and our society from moral decay, whatever the prevailing climate
in the world around us.
It might also be good for us to remember, labourers in the
Lord's vineyard as we are, that salt is a very good weed killer and is
effective in getting rid of some garden pests too. Now, those of you who know
me will generally expect me to need no excuse for diving back into the Old
Testament. There is in the book of Leviticus, a salt is prescribed as part of
all animal and grain offerings to the Lord.
In Exodus, it's included in the recipe for sacred incense.
And after the exile in Babylon, Ezra needed to remind the Jerusalem priests of
the need to use salt with all of their temple offerings. Salt stands as a
powerful symbol of faithfulness, purity, incorruptibility and loyalty to the
covenant.
Our faith, Jesus teaches, should not be just outward show, but
a reality permeating every aspect of our lives, sustaining and strengthening
our commitment to God and neighbour. Jesus then issues a stern warning about
salt losing its savour. This is especially applicable to the present day.
I think there exist two temptations for Christians living in
this post-Christian society. The first is what I like to call chameleon
Christianity, by which I mean we change our colours, the strength of our moral
attitudes to suit present company. And this is bad enough.
But there's a worse one, and that is what I call camouflaged
Christianity, where we keep those kingdom values hidden just in case they might
offend someone. In both cases, we stand to lose our ability to preserve and to
transform. Our world needs the distinctive witness of Christian love, mercy and
justice.
Being salty means being willing to stand out, to challenge
injustice, to call others to a higher standard, even when it is unpopular or
uncomfortable. This is a daunting prospect, but let's remember that Jesus never
means us to do this alone. He speaks of Christian life as a Kingdom, not a
hermitage.
The image of salt reminds us that our faith is to be lived
in community, where we support and encourage each other. As Christ's body on
earth, we gather in worship and the sacraments, especially the Eucharist,
drawing strength from Christ and the Church, nourished and sent forth to be the
salt of the earth, daring to be His presence in the world. Amen.
God bless you.
NOTE: You can find more sermons from Father Jonathan in his books entitled "With Him ... in Him" published on AMAZON. Please click HERE
