The Gospel often challenges our minds and hearts, and we say "Amen" to the words and deeds of Jesus even when we don't understand what they mean for us. Here is something more marvelous than anything "the crowd" hoped to receive from Him: the gift of God's grace, the new life in the Holy Spirit that enables us to say "yes" with faith and love for Jesus, the Son of the Father, the One through whom and for whom we have been created, the One who dwells among us and accompanies us and makes us His brothers and sisters, children of God, sharers of eternal life.
We want to awaken our faith to a confidence and ardor that can "move mountains" — or, rather, to beg God to move mountains, to open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf. We long for everyone in our poor world to see and hear the One who created us and gave Himself to us in boundless love. God knows that there are many "mountains" in our world that need "moving." Jesus promises us, "Ask and you shall receive"... but do we really believe this? We must ask with confidence in the Father's love, knowing that mountains can move, evils can be overcome, hearts can change — not according to the measure of our expectations but in God's way and God's time.
If we persevere in asking we shall receive far greater than we ever imagined. The power and mercy of the Lord will level mountains, fill up valleys, bring healing and reconciliation where there seems to be no hope.
