Increase our faith

One work that I am blessed to contribute as a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey is supplying brief commentaries on the Sunday Mass readings for the worship aids that are distributed to our guests. Since it may help motivate me to get them written on time for the printer, I thought I might post them here a few days ahead of time for your own reflection. Feel free to comment further on each commentary--for the benefit of us all.
PAX
Br. Francis

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Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time—C

Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4
2Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14
Luke 17:5-10

“Increase our faith!” The plea of the apostles to Jesus is a simple prayer for us all. Jesus tells his apostles—and us—that just a tiny seed of faith can do wonders. We don’t need to have it all figured out or be doubt-free. The struggle to persevere when we are surrounded by evidence suggesting that it makes more sense to give up (as the prophet Habakkuk laments) is itself that tiny seed of faith.

What’s more, we already have it. Notice the apostles don’t ask to be given faith, but to have theirs increased. In his letter to Timothy, St. Paul reminds us that God’s gift of faith is already in our possession. We have only to recognize and “stir into flame” the strength that comes from God.

The flame will take some time to grow within us, but “it will surely come.” God does not disappoint. And whenever we do discover that strength within us, we must always remember its true source, and give thanks to God. This is what we are obliged to do as God’s servants.