Do You Make God Powerless?

1 Aug

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.
They were astonished and said,
“Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter’s son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?”
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and in his own house.”
And he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith.  (Mt 13:54-58)

One of the things that we read in and/or hear proclaimed from the gospels is Jesus saying, “Your faith has saved you” or “Your faith has healed you”.  Jesus commended people for their faith and let them know that it was their faith in Him that allowed great things to happen.

Today’s gospel reading reminds us that there is a flip side to that coin:  without faith, Jesus cannot work.  “He did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.”

It seems strangely ironic that the all-powerful God can be rendered powerless, for all practical concerns, by our lack of faith.  However, that shows the deep relationship that exists between God and His people.

Just as any human relationship cannot exist for long without a bond of trust, our relationship with God cannot exist for long if we do not have faith in Him.  Without faith, there is no relationship.  Without a relationship, there is nothing that God can do for us.

Why?

Because He loves us so much that He allows us to make our own choice about relating to Him.  He will not force Himself on us.  Therefore, He will not force any mighty work on us.  He leaves that for those who desire them, who desire a deeper relationship with Him.

So, what do you want to do today?  Make God powerless or love Him more?

FAITH ACTION:  Meditate upon the Act of Faith in prayer today and ask God for the grace to be firm of faith.

O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in
three divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
I believe that your divine Son became man and
died for our sins, and that he will come to judge
the living and the dead.  I believe these and all the
truths which the holy Catholic Church teaches,
because you have revealed them, who can neither
deceive nor be deceived.

Amen.