"Lord, increase our faith"
Luke 17: 5-10
Some people love details. They tend to focus on what may seem
the smallest minutia in order to accomplish a task. Thank God for architects
and engineers whose drawings and design must be exact down to the finest lines
and measurements.
Sometimes we may even do that with our faith for we often speak
of our faith in denominational terms:
the Catholic faith, the Protestant faith, the Jewish faith, etc. here we
refer to the lists of beliefs, creeds, traditions that are passed on from
generation to generation. Or maybe
someone might ask you, “What faith are you?”
or “What Church do you go to?”
In this Sunday’s Gospel the Apostles ask Jesus a question that
seems to have come right out of the blue:
“Increase our faith.” So, what
are these men asking of Jesus? “Lord,
make us more Jewish?” It’s clear from
Jesus response that they were not asking about their heritage but about
something deeper: a closer relationship with Jesus. Help us trust you more, put our faith in you
more, help us to hold on to your teaching and example more than we recognize
right now. Make us more courageous and
loyal to you. This sort of thing is the
kind of faith that Luke implies.
Likewise, in our second reading from Paul to Timothy, we hear of
details, growth and reverence. Paul writes to Timothy, “I remind you, to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through
the imposition of my hands. For God did not give you a spirit of cowardice but
rather of power and love and self-control.” (2 Tim. 1: 6-7). The young
Bishop, ordained by Paul, is encouraged to recognize the seed of the gift given
to him and is reminded to care for it; to allow its growth and to use it for
the good of the Church. Paul implies the power of transformation that comes to
one as they place their trust more deeply in Christ; this is faith given as
gift and grace.
Jesus’ response to the Apostles question was, ‘If you have faith the size of a mustard
seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the
sea,’ and it would obey you.’” (Lk 17: 5-6). Who wouldn’t want a stronger
faith? Is the tiny size of a mustard seed all we need or is God asking for
more? Certainly the Apostles better than anyone knew that following Jesus was
becoming increasingly more of a challenge. They witnessed his miracles, they
heard his teaching about “love your enemies and do good to those who hate you,”
and they knew that despite the overwhelming admiring crowds, there were enough
in power who threatened Jesus and were determined to stop him. Only with
stronger faith in the truth of what he preached and a closer trust that he is
indeed the one they had been waiting for could they maintain their loyalty to
Jesus. Isn’t the same true for us?
We find ourselves planted firmly in a society that is enamored
by everything new. Technology, for all of its benefits, is exponential. There
is no end to the possibilities and it has created a society of artificial
communication. We treasure (worship?) what we
want, we will stand in line for hours to get it, and we will
obsess over the latest gadget.
But it has never been easy or necessarily convenient to be a
Christian. From the time of the Apostles
to our day the Christian story is one of threats and persecutions. Of course there were historically “glory
days” but for those who lived the fullness of the Christian message they found
push back in all corners. So, like the
Apostles we pray that we will not be discouraged, loose heart, give up, or compromise. Sadly, we are always tempted to take the less
controversial and more popular stand to avoid confrontation or rejection. I remember being told once very clearly by
someone who proudly claimed to be a “cafeteria Catholic.”
The call of our Scriptures this Sunday is to remind us that we
too must ask the Lord for the same as the Apostles desired. To have the courage of our convictions and to
not hide our faith but to live it in a way that we may become loving witnesses
to the Gospel even if we pay a price for it.
There are no end of moral issues around the dignity of life and the
treasure of marriage and the family that have been politicized and
polarized. Where do I stand?
Faith like that of a mustard seed is not where we stop. Faith
that grows, is watered, nurtured, and tended carefully is the only way that we
will come to see the treasure that is in each of us, made in the image and
likeness of God. It is all gift if we truly recognize that even a little trust
in the Lord’s words and our consistent loyalty to him and his Church will bear
much fruit and will grow. May Christ
answer the prayer we all make.
Almighty ever-living God,
who in the abundance of your kindness
surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you,
pour out your mercy upon us
to pardon what conscience dreads
and to give what prayer does not dare to ask.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
(Collect of Mass)
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