One Minute Reflection – 8 August – Wednesday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year B – Today’s Gospel: Matthew 15:21–28 and The Memorials of St Dominic (1170-1221) and St Mary of the Cross MacKillop (1842-1909)
Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly...Matthew 15:28
REFLECTION – “Jesus points to this humble woman as a model of unwavering faith. Her persistence in beseeching Christ’s intervention is incentive for us not to become discouraged, not to despair when we are burdened by life’s difficult trials. The Lord does not turn away in the face of our needs and, if at times, He seems insensitive to our requests for help, it is in order to put to the test and to strengthen, our faith. We must continue to cry out like this woman: “Lord, help me! Lord, help me!”. In this way, with perseverance and courage. This is the courage needed in prayer. He can help us to find our way, when we have lost the compass of our journey; when the road no longer seems flat but rough and arduous; when it is hard to be faithful to our commitments.
It is important to nourish our faith every day, by carefully listening to the Word of God, with the celebration of the Sacraments, with personal prayer as a “cry” to Him — “Lord, help me!” — and with concrete acts of charity toward our neighbour.”…Pope Francis – Angelus, 20 August 2017
PRAYER – Lord God, You gave St Dominic and St Mary of the Cross Mackillop, to the Church in their days, as lessons in total love, charity and zeal. We pray that they may help us in our times, by their merits, their inspiration, their words and their prayers. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
AnaStpaul 