Homily for Saturday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time

When Jesus chides His disciples, it's not for their lack of faith but for their struggle with having too little faith. Their attempt to heal a sick child fell short, and Jesus attributed this to their faith not being as strong as it could be. This is a struggle we all face. Our faith, while present, often isn't as strong as it could be, and we don't always trust the Lord as much as we should.

In response, Jesus offers encouraging words: even if our faith is as small as a mustard seed, we can move mountains. He desires for His disciples—and for all of us—to not just have faith, but to grow in it. We can echo the prayer of the father of the sick child, as described in Mark's version of the story: "I do believe; help my unbelief!"