Coming down the mountain after the Transfiguration, Jesus saw a crowd drawn into an argument between scribes and some of the Disciples. A father explained that the Disciples had failed to cure convulsions that even threw his son into fire or water. Then the father asked Jesus to help if He could. If?! The father said he had faith but asked the Lord to help his unbelief. Jesus cured the son. The Disciples must have realized that they lacked perfect faith, too. Jesus saw religious leaders blowing their own horns, instead of giving alms, praying,

After sparing only Noah and animals in an ark, God made the rainbow a sign of His promise never to so decimate the world again. Instead of glorifying God, people vainly decided to make a name for themselves by building a city with a sky-high tower. God confused their language. Unable to communicate with each other, the people abandoned the city of Babel and scattered. Recognizing Jesus as the Christ, Peter did not want to hear about our Savior’s impending suffering and death. The Transfiguration of the Lord gave Peter, James, and John a glimp

Jesus cured the sick who lay on mats outside in hope of touching a tassel on His cloak. When a Gentile begged Jesus to heal her daughter, He compared her request to giving children’s food to the dogs—an analogy that self-righteous Israelites would have applauded. The woman persisted, saying that even dogs get table scraps dropped by children, and Jesus worked the miracle. Scribes and Pharisees noticed that Jesus’ disciples skipped ritual handwashing before meals. On the other hand, the hypocritical leaders allowed pledging donations to th

Seeing the Child Jesus, Simeon recognized Him as the Christ. In His adult ministry, the Lord rewarded the faith of a synagogue official named Jairus by bringing his daughter back to life. On the way to Jairus’ house, a woman fearfully admitted that she had touched the Lord’s cloak in hope of healing without asking. Jesus did not take back the miracle she had received. The Lord sent the Twelve to teach and heal in His name. Knowing that God can work through us, why do we falter when events take an unexpected or fearful turn?

Jesus’ perfect sacrifice broke the hold of sin on humanity and replaced it with love to behold. From heaven, Jesus appeared as blinding light and spoke to Saul, a Pharisee bent on persecuting Christians. With his sight mercifully restored, Saul put his zeal into serving as a missionary known now as Saint Paul. Saints Timothy and Titus both worked with Paul directly or on separate missions at his request. We do not always understand how seeds of faith grow. Even with Jesus in the same boat with us, we flounder. Do we want the Lord to show us o

Pharisees and scribes served as taskmasters, insisting that people obey a long list of rules. Along came Jesus. The Lord pointed out that using new, unshrunken fabric to patch an old cloak would pull at the tear. Fermentation stretches even the tough leather of a wineskin, and new wine would burst an old skin. Religious leaders felt their hold weakening. Like a groom who wanted people to celebrate at the wedding feast, Jesus said that His disciples would fast later. Seeing a man with a withered hand in the synagogue, Jesus left Pharisees speech

At Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit came upon Him, and a voice from heaven called Him the beloved Son. In the early Church, the Holy Spirit came upon Gentiles at the home of Cornelius, prompting Peter to order their Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. People had sought out Jesus during His lifetime on Earth, or He found them. In Capernaum, a group of four men lowered a paralytic through the roof of a house to reach Jesus. A leper approached the Lord, sure that healing would occur if Jesus willed it. On the contrary, religious leaders challeng