Gospel: Luke 17: 5-10
Year C
Increase our faith!
Lord, You have just recalled for the Apostles the requirements of fraternal love; You invite them to pardon seven times a day, a brother who repents. (Lk. 17:4). But is this above their capacity? They sense the need for a stronger faith to accept such efforts, hence their prayer: increase our faith! How the understand it! We encounter the same difficulties …. Also, we address the same prayer to You.
If you had faith the size of a mustard seed!
You don’t respond directly to their request. In accordance with Your custom, by drawing in images which seem impossible, (here, a tree to be planted in the sea), You draw our attention to what is essential, to the mysterious power which is faith.
The question is not to know the quantity of our faith, but of knowing whether we have any or not! If we have, it’s like a tiny seed. We know how much dynamism is hidden in a tiny grain. At the same time, faith is capable of doing wonderful things. This faith we have receive at Baptism. It is a germ of divine life which should develop and make us produce the same fruits as You, the fruits of love. Increase our faith, Lord!
We are simple servants!
May faith help us to live, day after day in fidelity to Your service. Let us be like the servant in the parable: he serves his master, without thinking of himself or even less so of a reward! My joy, my reward, is to be with You, lord Jesus; it is to be in Your hands a docile instrument to do what you want…. it is to imitate You, the servant of the Your disciples, Who are always at our service in the Mystery of the Eucharist.
