First Reading: Habakkuk 1:2-3, 2:2-4
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
Second Reading: Second Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
Gospel: Luke 17:5-10
Reflection Questions
- Do you think Jesus was being literal when He said, “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.” Why? Why not?
- Who has been an example to you of a person of deep faith? Why?
- In what areas of your life do you need an increase of faith? Why?
Summary of the Gospel
Ever wonder why Jesus just doesn’t snap His fingers and make your life hassle-free? Ever wonder why God has put us on this earth, in the midst of one struggle after another? The simple answer as to this is ‘faith’. God has created the world the way He did so we would respond to Him in faith. We begin to see what faith is in this Sunday’s Gospel passage. This Gospel has two short parts to it.
The first part is a request from the Apostles to have Jesus increase their faith. Notice that Jesus doesn’t just wave a magic wand and make them more faithful: He responds by reaffirming their lack of faith and telling them that faith is so powerful that it can control nature. Of course, how many people have ever walked this earth with that kind of faith? Perhaps only Christ and His mother have had such strong faith. Faith, in this context, refers to our ability to respond and trust in God.
In the second part of this Gospel, Jesus focuses the Apostles on what really matters: While it is good to ask for more faith, we must understand that to grow in faith we must live God’s commandments. If we continue to do God’s will, and act in humility, we will have the faith we need. Jesus shows us that our life of faith is no magical formula, but one that demands good works, carrying out God’s commands in love and humility. Why is faith so important to our relationship with Christ?
Remember this: that faith is not only our response to God, but it is a response to the God Whom we cannot clearly see. This is our test in faith, to trust God even though we can’t see Him clearly. God has chosen to hide Himself in this world. He wants us to love Him so much that we would give our lives completely over to Him, even if we couldn’t see Him clearly. This is a free invitation He makes to us. None of us have to follow God. He wants us to follow Him out of love, not out of obligation. The entire world is set up by God to allow us to make a response to Him in faith. If we do so, He will be faithful to us, and bless us with His presence for eternity. What has been hidden will be made clear to us, and we will find everlasting peace. Let us have the ability to trust completely in Him, and always remember the hope He gives us for eternal life with Him.
A reflection you can listen to: Sunday Sunday Sunday
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