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The Power of Faith – By Father Andrew Bahhi

February 13, 2022
in The Word
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When we don’t have strong hope in Him, that means the more trouble we will face. The person without hope is the one who cannot sleep good enough. The person who always has depression or despair will have health and mental problems.

And this is exactly what happened to the disciples when they went fishing. Peter, Andrew, John & James. The Bible said after a long night of catching nothing, they were hopeless. They were washing their nets, hopeless.

A lot of times this happens in our life, when we try hard for something we don’t get, we get depressed and hopeless. Why?
Peter and his friends spent the whole night but caught nothing. They were very depressed. The Lord told them to “go a little deeper and throw your nets”. And Peter responded to Jesus, “Master, I have worked the whole night, and I caught nothing. But because you said so, up to your word I will do.”

I think a big part of our problem as Christians comes is when we don’t have strong hope. The answer is very close, but we depend on our human wisdom while the Lord is very close, and His hand is very close to get us out of the problem.

This also happened with the Samaritan woman when the Lord asked for water to drink. And she responded – How come you ask me; you are a Jewish man, and I am a Samaritan woman? Then the Lord told her, the water I can give you will mean you are never thirsty again. This annoyed her, and she responded “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?”

We answer in similar way. A lot of times, we tell God “You don’t know how big my problems are and how complicated my trouble is,” forgetting God is almighty.

We need to remember what we say in the Creed during every liturgy. “We believe in one God, the father ALMIGHTY.”

Hopelessness is not a sign of the Christian people, but a strong faith in Him is. A strong faith in His love and His mercy is the true answer and the right way.

How many times do you call the Lord with hopeless feelings, and say “It is too late. There is no way you can help me?”

But Jesus says, “Believe in me and follow me and you will find the rest for you.”

St. Paul identified the faith in Hebrews. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

If we believe in Him, have hope in his name, we will do when he calls us to throw all our nets and not just one, which Peter originally did.

Listen to him and obey him and throw ALL the nets in his hand, and He will fill it with blessings, grace and forgiveness.

I pray all of us have this faith and call out “Lord, come to me. I know you are right next to me.” Because his name is Emmanuel, and He is not only in heaven, but He is here with us.

Learn more in Father Andrew’s sermon video here.

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