A simple question posed by Jesus to His apostles, as He calms the storm in which they find themselves on the seas crossing to the other side, and the rough winds and waters cause the apostles to be filled with fear as they wonder how to pass through the storm. Jesus, after teaching them and illustrating His miraculous power in healings, feed the hungry, and raising the dead, wonders “what more do you need to see and experience to know that I AM?” Apparently more—or do they?

Today’s Gospel of Mark (Mk 4:26-34) speaks about the mustard seed (not the smallest seed in the world today, but at the time of Christ, it was known as the smallest seed) as a symbol that even the smallest act of kindness, or goodness—in the Christian sense—can spark the growth of faith not only in us but in those around us. While today’s gospel is about so much more, today I would like to focus on the Prime Motivator of Faith—Christ.

On Saturday, 26 June 2021, Archbishop Leonard Paul Blair will ordain two men to the Roman Catholic Priesthood for the Archdiocese of Hartford at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. and the public is invited to attend. Two Transitional Deacons, The Reverend Mr. Matthew Collins and the Reverend Mr. Joseph MacNeill will make their promises to God and to Archbishop Blair as they begin their priestly lives in the archdiocese.

Today our Roman Catholic Church celebrates what is the “source, summit and font” of our Faith: that we believe in the act of Consecration, that the validly-ordained priest or bishop makes the mere bread and wine become the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ at the Mass. That in the words of Consecration, the Real Presence of Christ comes into being.