Today at Holy Mass in the Gospel of St Matthew, the disciples of Jesus are unable to help a young man who was tormented by a demon…..”I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him”…Jesus then “steps in” and cures the man…The disciples inquire why they could not drive out the demon and Jesus addresses their concern…”He said to them, “Because of your little faith. Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you”……Do you believe this? - That if you have faith, “nothing will be impossible for you”?…Clearly all human beings have natural and material limitations…Intellectually - Physically - Financially….And sadly the world defines us by those limitations - God however does not!…And because the world looks at us through the lens of these limitations, most people “buy in” and “settle” for mediocrity…..This is exactly what the devil wants us to do!…….With God all things are possible!!!!!…..Did you know that an American Franciscan cloistered nun (Mother Angelica) founded a global Catholic media network (EWTN)?……She had no experience in the media either…..This is what Mother Angelica had to say about what God accomplished through her…."Unless you are willing to do the ridiculous, God will not do the miraculous”…This is the difference between the saints and those who “settle” for mediocrity…The saints KNOW God can do more with their lives then they can!!! - The saints are honest with themselves about their human limitations but they KNOW God has NO limitations and they put their entire trust in God and not in themselves….What else do the saints do? - They are willing to attempt the impossible and this usually results in people thinking they are “crazy”…To be a “fool for Christ” is a requirement to accomplish the impossible!…..How can a cloistered nun from Ohio, with no media experience establish a Global Media Empire?…..Even the very idea is ridiculous!!!!! - But it happened…Catholics have to start “thinking” BIG!…..Our God is the God of the impossible and if we radically trust him and surrender our will - God will use us to do the impossible too!
“Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel”
Eight years ago, at the request of a priest, my brother in law and I started a podcast….We had no experience and no understanding of the technical equipment that such an endeavor would require…Like all things we started small - Live Streaming on Facebook in my basement every Sunday night…The podcast began to grow - And the miraculous began to happen!…..A man who lived in Canada saw us on FaceBook and was so impressed that he drove to New Jersey to meet us…That man for the past six years produces our weekly show and provided all the technical expertise, which we did not have….Now we needed money for equipment - So we did a crowd funding and raised close to three thousand dollars to buy equipment - We did not have to use “one cent” of our own money!…..And only after two years of recording in my basement every Sunday night, we were introduced to a man who founded a Catholic radio station, which steams content across Connecticut, Long Island and Westchester County New York….That man asked us to host an interview show for the station, which he founded….We have been on the radio now for over five years and the show is growing and growing…..How did that happen?!!? - My brother in law and I have no media experience!….When I was a child growing up in New Jersey, if you told me that one day I would be co-hosting a radio show in the New York Metropolitan Area, I would have told you that you were crazy!…But guess what? - It happened! - And the show is getting bigger and bigger with each passing year…Only God knows what is next!….This is just one example of what God can do when you radically trust him and dare to do the impossible!….Father Benedict Groeschel, a very holy priest from Jersey City New Jersey, who one day I believe will be declared a saint by the Church once said….”When God gives you a vision, He isn't looking at your bank account”……Daring to do the impossible requires the courage to do the ridiculous!…And only those who are “fools” in the eyes of the world become saints….Do not be afraid to be a “holy fool” - Because these are the people who change the world!
“For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late. The rash man has no integrity; but the just man, because of his faith, shall live”
Today in the Gospel we are told by Jesus that if we have faith - “Nothing will be impossible for you”…Do not allow the unbelieving world to discourage you!….God the Father created the world from NOTHING and his son Jesus Christ conquered death on the cross! - Amazing!!!!!……Each and every Baptized Catholic, if we only trusted that God can do more with our life then we can would set the world on fire!…..Instead, most people “play it safe” - And nothing gets done!…..Did Jesus “play it safe”? - Did the twelve apostles “play it safe”?…..No one who accomplishes anything significant in this world “plays it safe” - Remember that……Dare to do the ridiculous and God will do the miraculous!……This is the path to a holy life...…Have the courage to allow the secular world to call you a fool…..Be a “fool for Christ” and don’t look back!……There is an old saying in America…."Better the last smile than the first laughter”……."He who laughs last, laughs best”….JMJ
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