On Graces Lost Through Failing to Ask

“He was not able to perform any mighty deed there […] He was amazed at their lack of faith.” ~ Mark 6:5-6

Since Christ is God, He contains within His Divine Nature the attribute of omnipotence, i.e., being all-powerful. He does not need any other source of strength outside Himself to be able to do all He wills. He is omnipotent in His Divine Nature. In His human nature, He is not omnipotent, as we see Him requiring food and sleep throughout the Gospels.

Not Able?

This raises a question regarding what the Gospel means when it says, “[Jesus] was not able to perform any mighty deed there.” The “mighty deeds” mentioned are supernatural actions pertaining to His Divine Nature, e.g., healing, casting out demons. It clearly could not mean that He was actually unable. This would contradict His omnipotence since it would limit His ability to act as He willed. Nor that He required any ‘faith-power’ to draw on from the people there. This would also contradict His omnipotence since it would mean that He needed power from something outside Himself.

He was not able in the sense that He was not given the opportunity to. The people, due to their lack of faith, did not ask. Compare this to last Sunday’s Gospel where two people, Jairus and the woman afflicted with hemorrhages, received supernatural healings after giving Jesus the opportunity to do so. So much grace and healing was available, yet it was lost because no one asked for it.

Do I Need to Ask?

This is not the only time that this theme has come up in the history of the Church. Our Lady appeared in a vision to St. Catherine Laboré and had many beautiful rings on her fingers with jewels. From these jewels streamed forth rays of light which represented graces she was obtaining for the world. Yet, some of the jewels were dark.

Our Lady explained to St. Catherine, “But there are no rays from some of the stones. For many people fail to receive graces because they neglect to ask for them.” Again, at Fatima, Our Lady lamented to the shepherd children that many souls go to hell because they have no one to pray or make sacrifices for them.

It is clear that God, in His overwhelming and unfathomable generosity, desires to pour out enumerable graces upon the world! Yet, Our Lady and the Gospel have also made clear that many precious (even soul-saving) graces are lost because we fail to ask for them. Examine yourself and our regular petitions to God. Are you asking for assistance in the areas where you need it or are you relying on your own strength and ability to conquer that sin or evangelize that friend? If you find that you have been relying upon yourself, turn instead to Christ and Our Lady and be prepared for an ocean of grace to be poured out upon you.

[Readings: Ezekiel 2:2-5; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Mark 6:1-6]


Connor Szurgot

Through his reversion to the Faith at the end of high school, Connor experienced first hand both the power of grace and the intellectual rigor of the Church’s teachings. He continued to grow his knowledge during his college studies at NC State, where he was also blessed to meet his future wife. He now lives in Raleigh, NC with his beautiful wife and young son, where he is a parishioner of St. Luke the Evangelist. He is excited to give to others some of the fruit that God has given to him and hopes that it can help those who read it grow in holiness. Email: [email protected]

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