“One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying.”--St. Joan of Arc
(Gospel Text: LK 17:1-6)
Jesus said to his disciples,
"Things that cause sin will inevitably occur,
but woe to the one through whom they occur.
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck
and he be thrown into the sea
than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Be on your guard!
If your brother sins, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times in one day
and returns to you seven times saying, 'I am sorry,'
you should forgive him."
And the Apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
The Lord replied, "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."
"Things that cause sin will inevitably occur,
but woe to the one through whom they occur.
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck
and he be thrown into the sea
than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Be on your guard!
If your brother sins, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times in one day
and returns to you seven times saying, 'I am sorry,'
you should forgive him."
And the Apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
The Lord replied, "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."
Have you ever tried to wiggle your ears? Everyone is supposed to be born with the right muscles. All you have to do is clench your back molars to activate the muscles. But most people still find it impossible to do. In today’s Gospel reading, the apostles ask Jesus to give them something that they feel is impossible to attain without him: increased faith.
Did you know that you have sufficient faith to do great things? You may feel inadequate, but the real question is how you can tap into the faith that you already have—and as a result make it even stronger.
First and foremost, you and I need to continue to thank God for the gift of our faith and also to pray for our faith to be deepened. Further, we need to take risks, trusting God will deliver. Such risks will lead us to become the person that God is calling us to become. Even when we slip up, God is there for us to offer encouragement, to help us to continue to forge ahead.
Just as that little mustard seed amazes people in the speed and breadth of its development, if you actively work on increasing your faith, you’ll look back and marvel at the growth.
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