John 10: 22:30

In the Gospel one will always read that Jesus emphasizes the importance of Faith:

• A centurion had a sick daughter and she was healed because of the faith of the centurion
• A paralytic was sick and he was healed because of the faith of his friends
• On the other hand, the apostles could not exorcise a demon because of their lack of faith.

While we know the importance of faith in our own lives, we cannot help but doubt it every now and then. Why is the Lord not answering my prayer? Why is nothing happening? Why does God allow this to happen?

In St. John’s Gospel, after all the miracles, the healings, and the teachings with authority, people still doubted Jesus. “Are you the messiah or are they going to wait for someone else?”

When doubt sinks into our lives, three things we should remember:

1. Doubt is part of the process of faith. Most of us were Catholic since birth. We were taught about our faith by our parents first and then in school. Eventually, this faith was tested by life’s suffering, pain, trials, and storms. Hence the saying, “What does not break us, can only make us stronger.”
   
2. Hang out with people of faith. Thank God because in our circle of friends there are always these people who have such strong faith in God. Humanly speaking, we could be weakened with the storms of life, hence the testimonies of other people are very helpful and comforting.
   
3. Whatever happens, God is good and He has a plan. One of the most difficult realities in life is to go through a storm. Amidst the anxiety, sleepless nights, and tears, our faith is deepened because we keep reminding ourselves: “God is in control”. After Good Friday, Easter Sunday always follows. God has a plan and there is a reason for life’s trials.

May we ask the grace of Mama Mary. She too had to wrestle with doubt. When the angel told her that she would bear a son through the Holy Spirit, she asked, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” Further, she was not exempted from the many sorrows of life, especially as mother to Jesus. The worst was seeing him nailed on the cross. Through Mama Mary’s life, one realizes that the more challenges we face, the more our faith strengthens and deepens.