On a spring Sunday morning in April 1960, my family entered St. Clare Catholic Church in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. My father, bursting with pride, sat in the front pew with Mom and all three of their boys seated, youngest to oldest, wearing our very best clothing. Today was the dedication of this magnificent House of God. My father, a laborer who worked with his hands maintaining boilers in schools and occasionally drove a school bus, helped raise funds to purchase land for a new church and school, originally established in September 1944.

Father Fitzgerald, a surly priest, stepped up to the Ambo and began his sermon by extending a sincere thank-you to all who came together in this labor of love, making today a reality. Most of what Father mentioned has been lost to history, but one beautiful thought has stayed with me my entire life. In Matthew 17:14-20, we are taught, “If you have faith, nothing will be impossible for you.”

Matthew concludes with: “Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to the mountain, ‘move from here to there’, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

My friends, every single day we face challenges. Some corrupt individual from China or a country I can’t pronounce is trying to access personal bank information or sell an inferior product through the internet. So, here’s my humble advice: Our Lord is enthroned (Psalm 9) forever; he judges with justice and equity; he is a stronghold for the oppressed; and He has not forgotten the cry of the poor.

The kid in me is still rekindled by the excitement I felt when our new church became a reality, and I hold on to Jesus’ promise that “nothing is impossible.” I pray that you do also.

Let Us Pray:

Lord, we ask you to increase our faith and open our eyes to see the many miracles of healing and hope you place in our lives each day. Amen.