It is prayer that roots us in this truth [that without Christ we can do nothing] (Jn 15:5). It constantly reminds us of the primacy of Christ and, in union with Him, the primacy of the interior life and of holiness. When this principle is not respected, is it any wonder that pastoral plans come to nothing and leave us with a disheartening sense of frustration? We them share the experience of the disciples..."We have toiled all night and caught nothing" (Lk 5:5). This is the moment of faith, of prayer, of conversation with God in order to open our hearts to the tide of grace and allow the word of Christ to pass through us in all its power: "Duc in altum! On that occasion, it was Peter who spoke the word of faith: "At your word I will let down the nets" (ibid)...I invite the whole Church to make this act of faith, which expresses itself in a renewed commitment to prayer."
(Novo Millennio Ineunte 38)
4th Week of Advent
The Primacy of Grace II
Sunday December 21, 2025 - Marcel & Linda Dion
Every time I read these words I feel that John Paul is speaking to us personally today!
The truth is, we do have a “wounded” nature, and therefore we can be tempted to think that the results depend on “our ability to act and to plan”! It’s a good thing therefore to occasionally be reminded that we can’t do anything without God. At the same time however - and here is an awe inspiring thought - we also need to be reminded and ultimately convinced, that with God, we can do anything!
The key to stepping into the realm of the supernatural, the miraculous, is not improving or increasing “our ability to act and to plan” but deepening our life of prayer and exercising greater expectant faith in the truth that God desires to, and therefore will, act in and through our lives when we “stretch out our necks" in faith (see our "Giraffe" post) and ask Him to do so. How else are we to understand Jesus when He declares that “All things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23)?
Twenty five years ago St John Paul II exhorted the entire church to exercise expectant faith through a renewed commitment to prayer, and to trust that if we “put out into the deep” (Luke 5:5) good things will happen! Let us joyfully do so then; let's renew our commitment to prayer, trusting that God can transform us - yes, even us - into men and women of great expectant faith, through whom the glory of God can truly shine!