Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4
2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14
Lk 17:5-10

Faith and Service

When we hear the opening words of this Sunday’s first reading from Habakkuk we may well think of our own society today and how many of us think and feel about what’s happening around us. “How long, O LORD?  I cry for help but you do not listen!  I cry out to you, “Violence!”  but you do not intervene.  Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery?  Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and clamorous discord.”

In spite of what we see on TV, read in the written media and what we experience in our cities, nation and world we cannot allow ourselves to be discouraged or devastated. We must have faith in our God who created the world we live in. 

The Gospel begins with the apostles asking Jesus to increase their faith. That’s what we all need – faith – and an increase of faith every day of our lives. Faith is dependent on our relationship with our faithful God. The depth of our relationship with God depends on the depth of our faith in our ever present and loving God. Just as the apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith we need to daily find time and ways to deepen our relationship with God and thus deepen our faith.

Jesus tells us that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, even just a little faith, we will be able as followers of Jesus to do wondrous things. These wondrous things most often involve our service to others. As faith filled followers of Jesus we are told that love of God and neighbor is our obligation as we strive to fulfill our role in God’s plan to make the Reign of God real in the here and now. 

There are many things wrong in our world today but if each of us tried to do one small mustard-like thing each day to make our own environment better we would be doing God’s will for us. We would be making a positive contribution to our world. Hopefully, our small actions can produce a hundredfold!

The response to the Responsorial Psalm can be a daily reminder for us. “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” The same message is given to us in the second reading as the author tells us, “Take as your norm the sound words that you heard from me [Timothy], in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.” 

It is up to each of us to take to heart this rich trust to be called to discipleship, to have deep faith in the God who created us and to serve others to the best of our ability.

How do you deepen your relationship with God and thus deepen your faith?

How do you carry out your obligation to be of service to others?