“Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation. … Oh, that today you would hear His voice: ‘Harden not your hearts.’” (Psalm 95:1,8)
Reflections on the readings for the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (October 2, 2022): HAB 1:2-3;2:2-4; PS 95:1-2,6-7,8-9; 2TIM 1:6-8,13-14; LK 17:5-10
MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
Jesus uses exaggerated language for His listeners to understand that faith matters a great deal and has great power.
The readings for this Sunday serve to remind us that the meaning of faith in God is not easy to grasp in all times or circumstances. The citation from Habakkuk shows the prophet questioning God when Israel is undergoing a difficult, dangerous situation. “How long, O Lord?” he asks. God answers that He will take care of those who are just and faithful. However, everything will happen according to His plan and His time, not ours. In the Gospel reading, we hear Jesus’ disciples make what appears to be a straightforward request of Him, although not necessarily a simple one. “The Apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ The Lord replied, ‘If you have faith the size of a mulberry seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea.’ And it would obey you. …When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do’” (Luke 17:5-6,9-10).
So Christ does not respond to the Apostles desire for greater faith by blessing them, or praying with them, or explaining what they must do in order to achieve it. Instead, He speaks of tiny mustard seeds and bushy mulberry trees, both fairly commonplace in their world and our own. The seeds are indeed small and the trees are rooted in the earth. Jesus uses exaggerated language for His listeners to understand that faith matters a great deal and has great power. But, we must put our complete trust in God for faith to grow. Only then will it really make a difference in our own lives and the lives of others. The story Jesus tells about the servant who is simply filling a normal role may not be something we really want to hear. Are we actually just unprofitable servants? Most of us probably think that by trying to obey God’s will we deserve praise, consideration, even reward. Yet it is Almighty God who deserves all we have to offer. He gives us absolutely everything: life, love, time, and eternity. If we serve Him humbly, gratefully, and lovingly, then we express our faith. And He will use that fidelity -- as He chooses -- in fulfilling His desire for us, those around us, and the whole world.
