Pushing and shoving, struggling to scramble up a roof, rousing speculation, covering the ears to outrageous remarks, an impossible juggling act in the heat of the day…all part of an act of faith we hear in the gospel today. And the result…a remarkable healing. What does faith look like for us today? How does faith manifest in our lives? Can we claim to have faith like the four friends who carried the paralytic, who were not deterred by any obstacle? Do we hesitate at the thought of how the world would react to our ways of exercising faith and confirm to silent submission? No matter how we choose to answer these questions, we are reminded today that if we choose to be content with God as our Master and King and totally depend on Him alone for all our needs- unlike the people of old, who pleaded with Samuel to appoint a king to rule over them for they couldn’t comprehend how an unseen God would provide for them-then we too are pleasant in His sight.

Prayer: Abba Father, increase our faith so that we may endure through trials and temptations and keep our gaze on You alone. Amen.