My daughter, your faith has saved you.

“Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” (Matthew 9: 22).

Monday 6th July 2020, 14th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Maria Goretti (1890 - 1902). Italian. Virgin and Martyr. Maria was barely twelve years old when she was attacked by Alessandro Serenelli, a 19 years old man who tried to rape her. Maria resisted fiercely.  Alessandro stabbed her to death.

Maria forgave him in her death bed. Alessandro spent 27 of 30 years in prison. Maria appeared to him in a dream and brought him flowers. Alessandro Serenelli was in the audience at the Vatican when Maria was canonized in 1950. He later joined the Capuchin monastery.
St Maria Goretti is the patron saint of purity, young women, rape victims and youth.

In our Gospel verse for today, Jesus said to another desperate woman: “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” This could have been said to St Maria Goretti.
Without faith, we can do nothing. "The just shall live by faith."

"What is Faith and why is it so important?
"What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead." (Hebrews 11: 1 TLB).

Everyone who matters in the Bible from Abraham, David, John the Baptist, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Peter and Paul were not just people of faith but lived by faith. St Maria Goretti bore witness to her faith by accepting her martyrdom.
The woman with the issue of Blood in today's Gospel exercised her faith:
“If I only touch him, I will be healed.”
Jesus turned around and spoke to her. “Daughter,” he said, “all is well! Your faith has healed you.” And the woman was well from that moment." (Matthew 9: 21 - 22).

We are saved by grace through faith. You can start living by your faith right here and now.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com