In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Welcome, dear brothers and sisters, as we gather to draw near to Jesus on this Memorial of Saint Dominic, seeking His light and consolation.
Lord Jesus, you are our stronghold in times of distress: Lord, have mercy. Christ Jesus, you invite us to trust you with faith like a mustard seed: Christ, have mercy. Lord Jesus, you never forsake those who seek your face: Lord, have mercy.
“I will stand at my guard post, and station myself upon the rampart…”
That is how the prophet Habakkuk begins today’s First Reading. He looks up at the sky and speaks with total honesty to God. He sees the heavy burdens of the world and asks the question so many hearts whisper in silence: *Where are you, Lord?*
And God gives him a wonderful, quiet answer:
“Write down the vision… if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come… the just man, because of his faith, shall live.”
Then in the Gospel, Jesus takes that promise even deeper. When His disciples ask why they could not move a difficulty out of their way, Jesus tells them that faith does not need to be massive or loud to be powerful. It only needs to be as small as a mustard seed. Small faith… quiet faith… patient faith can move mountains.
We saw that gentle, faithful spirit so beautifully in Benjamin Vo.
Benjamin was a boy who knew the beauty of simple, quiet moments. Think of how much he loved sitting close to his father, listening with pure delight as his dad told him stories. Ben didn’t need grand spectacles to be happy; he loved listening, absorbing every word with that sweet, attentive smile. And whenever he set his mind to a task, whether learning something complex or stepping onto the badminton court, he held a simple truth in his heart: *trying is all that matters.*
That is mustard-seed faith. Not demanding, but trying with all your heart and trusting God with the rest.
It has been eight weeks since Benjamin entered eternal life. Eight weeks of standing on the rampart, missing his gentle voice and his warm presence in the home.
Yet the Lord reminds us today that no moment of love is ever lost. The God who held Benjamin in life holds him safely now in His eternal Kingdom.
To Alan, Thao, and dear Ryan: Jesus sees every quiet tear and stands right beside you. Keep holding each other tight, taking each day one step at a time, and surrounding Ryan with your love.
To Ben’s aunts and uncles, everyone joining us from afar, and every family carrying a heavy cross: God hears your prayers.
Benjamin Vo rests now in the Savior’s loving arms… watching over us with his gentle smile, where peace lives forever.
For the intentions entrusted to Ben on our prayer wall:
At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
May the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, and may Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
✝ May almighty God bless you: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.