First reading Deuteronomy 6:4-13
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart
Moses said to the people:
‘Listen, Israel: the Lord our God is the one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let these words I urge on you today be written on your heart. You shall repeat them to your children and say them over to them whether at rest in your house or walking abroad, at your lying down or at your rising; you shall fasten them on your hand as a sign and on your forehead as a circlet; you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
‘When the Lord has brought you into the land which he swore to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that he would give you, with great and prosperous cities not of your building, houses full of good things not furnished by you, wells you did not dig, vineyards and olives you did not plant, when you have eaten these and had your fill, then take care you do not forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You must fear the Lord your God, you must serve him, by his name you must swear.’
Responsorial Psalm 17(18):2-4,47,51
I love you, Lord, my strength.
I love you, Lord, my strength,
my rock, my fortress, my saviour.
My God is the rock where I take refuge;
my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold.
The Lord is worthy of all praise,
when I call I am saved from my foes.
Long life to the Lord, my rock!
Praised be the God who saves me,
He has given great victories to his king
and shown his love for his anointed.
Gospel Matthew 17:14-20
If your faith were the size of a mustard seed, the mountain would move
A man came up to Jesus and went down on his knees before him. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘take pity on my son: he is a lunatic and in a wretched state; he is always falling into the fire or into the water. I took him to your disciples and they were unable to cure him.’ ‘Faithless and perverse generation!’ Jesus said in reply ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.’ And when Jesus rebuked it the devil came out of the boy who was cured from that moment.
Then the disciples came privately to Jesus. ‘Why were we unable to cast it out?’ they asked. He answered, ‘Because you have little faith. I tell you solemnly, if your faith were the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it would move; nothing would be impossible for you.’
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Love and trust
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength…” (1st reading). Loving God is an active commitment that influences every part of our lives. It shapes our thoughts, feelings, and actions, encouraging us to serve others for their good. Our love for God is a response to His love for us, as St. John said, “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). God’s love for us, with all our weaknesses, is our source of peace and hope.
In today’s gospel, a man approaches Jesus seeking help because the disciples are unable to heal his son. After the boy is healed, the disciples question why they lacked the ability to perform the healing. Jesus responds, “Because you have so little faith.” He acknowledges that they do have faith, but it is not strong enough for them to trust that God will work through them. Like the disciples, we often struggle to trust God enough to overcome the mountains of fear and hopelessness that we have in us, especially during the challenging situations we encounter in life. Today, let us renew our trust in God and His love.
Reflective question:
How can I express my love for God and my trust in Him?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
