"I do believe. Help my unbelief."

"I do believe. Help my unbelief.": 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
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20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“I do believe, help my unbelief!”

• I love this verse that was not used today at Mass, but in Mark 9:24
• For me, I trust with these same words…yes, I trust in God as much as I can.  At the same time, there can be times that I need his help as a human, with analogical thoughts and data, where God knows what I do not know

“Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom and cured every disease among the people.”

• And yes, Jesus did this
• Once again, we humans do the best ordinary ways to serve those who are sick—physically, mentally and spiritually
• Yet God, as God, may give extraordinary gifts!

So here we go with this parable that we may not understand the depths of Jesus teaching to a mother and her daughter who was suffering

• Is he a misogynist to this Samaritan woman as he didn’t answer her question?
  • Well, no…remember how Jesus revolutionary visit the Samaritan woman at the well in the Gospel according to John?  Or the women he mentioned carrying his cross?  All of which was illegal in the Old Testament Law?
• Or, is he calling her a dog?
  • Well, no…he is God!
• I think this woman was strong, yet also humble
• And Jesus was not being mean to this woman though the disciples probably was: “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
• How did this woman protect and seek help, continuing with perseverance, seeking healing, for her daughter?
  • “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.”  Then Jesus said to her in reply,
    “O woman, great is your faith!  Let it be done for you as you wish.”  And the woman’s daughter was healed from that hour.”

Jesus, I do believe, but help my unbelief!  May we persevere, seeking for his help, and with him, help us to grow with faith!