Your Faith has made You Well
Yesterday I visited and blessed a large factory. As I made my way through the different departments, workshops and machine shops I was struck by the workers welcome and happiness for the blessing. The words from the Book of Blessings for factories places emphasis on the gift of manual labour. ‘Jesus by working with his own hands he transformed toil from being an inherited curse for sin into a source of blessings.’
Their faith in the efficacy of the blessing with words and water made me aware of the faith of everyday people. Combined with the faith of the family that owns and manages the enterprise and invited me to perform the blessing, to celebrate their 46th year anniversary, demonstrated to me that faith is much more active in the world than the media will make us believe.
Their faith reminded me of the faith of the woman who was healed of the hemorrhages in this week’s Gospel Mark 5:21-43. On discovering her, Jesus said to her ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’
That evening I reflected on the power of faith. The faith of the family member who 46 years ago embraced his idea to start the factory and his unwavering faith over the years to build it into a great enterprise. The faith of the everyday people who have toiled at the equipment and machines to produce remarkable concepts and products. The faith of the other family members who have come on board to make the business a success.
Like the woman with the hemorrhages her faith had pushed her on despite spending all her money at doctors for twelve years without success. She did not succumb to despair - she placed her faith in Jesus - and her faith made her well. I reflected on Jesus words ‘if you only have faith as a mustard seed you can tell this tree to be uprooted and be planted in the sea and it will happen’.
The experience reminded me that faith isn't confined to the walls of a church or the pages of scripture; it lives and breathes in the everyday actions and struggles of people. The workers' joy and the family's devotion were tangible expressions of faith, much like the woman's unwavering belief in Jesus' power to heal her.
This realization filled me with a renewed sense of purpose and hope, reinforcing my conviction that faith, when lived authentically, can transform even the most mundane aspects of our lives into sacred opportunities for grace and blessing.
NOTICE BOARD
Friends, I invite you to visit my Benedictine Spirituality Program by clicking at the link below. This is a spirituality for everyday people like you and me, a path to holiness at work and at home.