Daily Mass Gospel Reflection - Increasing Faith

Friends, in today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus speak about faith.
Faith is powerful, for it is a link to the reality of God,
the power that made and sustains the cosmos.
Sometimes, the power of faith is manifested in spectacular and immediately obvious ways.
For example, there is a long tradition of faith healing
stretching back to Jesus himself and through many of the saints.
There is also the power of prayer.
When some people ask in a spirit of trust,
really believing that what they are asking for will happen,
it happens.

But more often than not,
the power of faith manifests itself in the courage to face trauma,
sickness, even the terror of death.
It is the confidence that we are being guided and cared for,
even when that guidance and care are not immediately apparent.

+++Jesus said to his disciples,
"Things that cause sin will inevitably occur,
but woe to the one through whom they occur.
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck
and he be thrown into the sea
than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Be on your guard!
If your brother sins, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times in one day
and returns to you seven times saying,
'I am sorry,' you should forgive him."

The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,'
and it would obey you."+++

Here is the Scripture passage:

"And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you." (Here, Jesus responds with a miracle they could do with more faith.)

"And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?" (Here, Jesus uses a visual example, telling them that instead of serving the disciples by giving them more faith, they need to serve Him. This example indicates Jesus refused their request. )

"Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ” Luke 17:5-10
(This tells the disciples they can't expect to receive more faith based on their works. This suggests they expected to be given more faith based on their mission trips amoung the 12, and among the 70.

Roman 12:3 tells us to stay humble, because God has given each of us a just a measure of faith.
"For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. "

I get your reply.
Your use of the word - "refuse" - which jumped out at me -
maybe could have been a different word with regard to Jesus there.

We see later on in Luke- at the Last Supper-
Jesus makes a point to let Peter know he is in Satan's crosshairs, and that...

32 but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail;
and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.”

So what ever amount or measure of Faith they have,
Jesus prays to strengthen Peter's Faith...
and in turn, through his primacy,
wants Peter to eventually strengthen the Faith of the Apostles as well.

So again, "Refuse" just seemed a bit strong to me..

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.