First Friday, Week 17

And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

There is a saying that goes this way: “No one is a saint to one’s valet.” The valet is a man's male servant, who takes care of his clothes and performs other personal services. In other words, ‘alalay’ siya. The valet is so close to his master that he knows many things about him, including his defects. Therefore, there is a tendency for the valet not to look up to his master with admiration.

In the case of Jesus, his town mates know about his family background. His father was merely a carpenter. His mother had no social standing in the community. Jesus himself was not taught by any outstanding religious teacher. So his town mates looked down on him and did not put much faith in him.

The result according to the Gospel was that he did not work many miracles there. What does that mean? It means that since his town mates did not believe in him, only a few brought their sick to him and consequently only a few were healed.

This means that it is not God who limits the good that he wants to do for us. It is our faith or lack of it that sets the limits. It’s like God is ready to give us his blessings. But unless our hands are open to receive it, he can not give it to us.

So what is it that will make us open our hands to receive the good things that come from the hand of God?

1. We must believe in our hearts that God is good. Only then will we have the confidence to go to him to receive his blessings. If you have a difficult boss, will you find it easy to go to him?

We might think that it is easy to see God as good. But it’s not. A man came to me because his bunso, still a baby, died in spite of the efforts of the hospital. He admits that he has committed many sins in his life. And he asks, “Why did he punish my child? I should be the one he punished.” Do you think it’s easy for this man to believe that God is good?

But faith in the goodness of God means precisely this: to believe that God is good even when things do not seem to show that God is good.

So what is it that will make us open our hands to receive the good things that come from the hand of God?

2. We must believe in our hearts that God is powerful. If he is powerful, then he can help us. Will you go to someone who can not help you? A long, long time ago I asked my classmate to get me an appointment with the mayor of Paranaque. We know he was the big boss and he can help us.

Some people will find it difficult to believe God is powerful. The common objection is this: If God is so powerful, why is there evil in the world? If God is so powerful, why did he not prevent my mother from dying of cancer?

But to believe in the power of God means precisely this: that God can bring good out of evil; that no matter what happens, he can make things turn out well for you.

So what is it that will make us open our hands to receive the good things that come from the hand of God?

3. We must pray for faith. We must know that faith is a gift. We can not give our faith in God unless God gives us the gift of faith. Therefore, we must pray for it.

When a man brought his son to Jesus for healing, Jesus asked the father, “Do you believe I can cure him?” The man answered, “Lord, I do believe. Help my unbelief.” In other words, the man admitted that his faith was not enough and so asked Jesus to add to his faith. Did Jesus give him that faith? Certainly. How do we know? Jesus was able to cure his son.

When Don Bosco was at his deathbed, he said in regret, “If only I had more faith, I could have done more.” And he was right. For faith is opening our hands believing that God will fill our hands with good things.