Why did this have to happen?

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Have you ever prayed to God like the apostles who came to Jesus and pleaded, “Lord, increase our faith”? (Lk. 17:5). I have — many times.

I remember a moment when my family fell into deep hardship after my father passed away. It was one of the most painful seasons of my life. I had to make the difficult decision to leave the seminary because we could no longer afford my tuition, board, and lodging.

In that moment of struggle, I found myself asking the Lord — perhaps even more intensely than the apostles did — “Why did this have to happen, Lord, when I have been faithfully following You?”

But the newer to that question came at times I least expect it. Like what happened in the Gospel, Jesus didn’t hand them a bigger portion of belief. Instead, He reminded them that even a faith as small as a mustard seed could uproot a tree and cast it into the sea. Why? Because the power of faith is not in its size, but in its authenticity. It happens when faith is lived out both in trust and humility.

It’s that kind of moment when everything feels unbearably hard, yet you keep holding on. When tomorrow seems uncertain, and still, you keep taking the risk to believe.

This is what the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us of (Hb 1:2-3; 2:2-4). The world may be filled with violence, misery, destruction, and division. We may even find ourselves crying out to God, “Lord, how long will this go on? Will all this suffering ever end? Are You even listening to us?”

And yet, the message is clear: through faith, the righteous shall live. It is faith that sustains us. In the midst of pain and hardship, when we are rooted in faith, nothing—absolutely nothing—can separate us from the love of God.

So, do not harden your hearts (Ps 95). Along with the problems we face in life comes the grace of strength that Christ Himself has given us. We can overcome and triumph over every trial if we “stir into flame the gift of God that we have” (2 Tim 1:6-8, 13-14).

To have faith is to believe. We must believe that the Lord walks with us each day, carrying the Cross by our side, sharing in our hardships. And with courage and perseverance, we must not allow fear, suffering, or indifference to extinguish the fire of our faith.

This teaches us that while faith can move mountains, it always walks the path of humility and of total surrender to God’s will. That faith should not be kept within but propels us to become servants for others without seeking any earthly recognition.

Our faith is not measured by grand gestures but by our daily “yes” to God in the ordinary: a whispered prayer in weakness, forgiveness offered with trembling, service without notice. These are mustard seeds that unleash God’s transforming power.

Thus, when our faith is tested like my personal experience, it is always okay to ask “Lord, please increase my faith.” A little faith, fully lived, can change everything—our homes, our Church, our world—because it is never small. It is the spark of God’s own life within us.

25 February 2024 | Second Sunday of Lent

Mk 9:2-10: This is my beloved Son

Jesus took Peter, James, and John  and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,  and his clothes became dazzling white,  such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,  and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,  «Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents:  one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.» He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;  from the cloud came a voice,  «This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.» Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves,  questioning what rising from the dead meant.