Unbelief

Today's Readings:
Sir 1:1-10
Ps 93:1-2, 5
Mk 9:14-29

"I do believe, help my unbelief." We hear this in our Gospel this morning and truly it is a wonderful prayer. We have all been given the gift of faith, but sometimes that faith is not as strong as we would like it or we seem to loose faith; it is during these times we utter this same prayer. Prayer is so important in allowing our faith to grow, and sometimes it is the simplest of prayers that are the strongest, just like the one above. So today let us place our faith in the hands of our loving God and ask him to heal us from any unbelief we may still have in our lives. Have a great day and God Bless.
Lord God, we place all our trust in you and are assured of the love you have for us, help us this day to banish any unbelief that we may have and replace it with your eternal and divine love; we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

Saint of the Day - St. Polycarp
Polycarp was born between the years 75 and 80. He became a Christian when the followers of Jesus were still few. In fact, Polycarp was a disciple of one of the original apostles, St. John. All that Polycarp learned from St. John he taught to others. Polycarp became a priest and then bishop of Smyrna in present-day Turkey. He was Smyrna's bishop for many years. The Christians recognized him as a holy, brave shepherd. Christians in Polycarp's time faced persecution and death under Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Someone betrayed Polycarp to the authorities. When his captors came to arrest him, he invited them first to share a meal with him. Then he asked them to let him pray a while. The judge tried to force Bishop Polycarp to save himself from death by cursing Jesus. "I have served Jesus all my life," answered the saint, "and he has never done me any wrong. How can I curse my King who died for me?" The soldiers tied St. Polycarp's hands behind his back. The old bishop was then placed on a burning pile. But the fire did not harm him. One of the soldiers then stabbed a lance into his heart. And so, in the year 155, Polycarp died a martyr. He went to be forever with the Divine Master he had served so bravely.
Reflection: "For eighty-six years I have served Jesus Christ and he has never abandoned me" –St. Polycarp

Saint information comes from: http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/dailysaint/february/0223.asp