"I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give you." I write this reflection just after the Islamist massacre of twelve people in Paris. Faced with such acts of terror we feel hopeless and powerless, not knowing what to do or how to respond. Faced with the crippled beggar, no doubt Peter felt at least a momentary spasm of helplessness in the face of such suffering and the request for material help, but his experience of the Risen Christ gave power to his faith and his confidence. Jesus had taught him and the other disciples that faith as tiny as a mustard seed could move mountains. (Mt 17:20, Lk 17:6).

With Peter, let us humbly acknowledge our lack of silver and gold, our lack of economic and political power. Let us turn the other cheek, as Jesus asked, not by succumbing to terrorism or the power of evil but by following Jesus in that confident faith which brackets our lack of silver and gold and all they symbolize. Let us as Catholics give the world what worldly powers cannot give: our faithful prayer.