The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. “Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’ ” (Luke 17:5-10, NRSV)
How many of you have been where the disciples are in this reading?
How many of you have asked Jesus to increase your faith?
But is faith something we can quantify?
Is faith something we can really have more of?
Jesus tells the disciples “IF you had faith the size of a mustard seed…”. This means they don’t even have that much faith.
We think this is bad, because most of us look at what we don’t have rather than what we do.
Jesus is not saying the disciples need more, but what they have is enough! Their faith, like ours, is not enough to move a tree into the sea, but what we have been given is enough to do what is expected.
So don’t wish for more. Be happy with what you have!
aSacredRebel 